Climate change affects the determinants of healthy clean air, safe drinking water, sufficient food and secure shelter.The damage due to global warming is expected to cost more than 250 000 additional deaths per year, from malnutrition, malaria, diarrhoea and heat stress. Areas with weak health infrastructure – mostly in developing countries will be the least able to cope without assistance to prepare and respond. Since travel represent a major contributor to emissions of greenhouse gases and potential damges to the environment, it is our responsibility as travel medicine practitioners to make travellers more responsible and respectful of our planet.