Despite the fact that we're seeing unprecedented heat - last summer was our hottest on record, and the first half of this year has been the second hottest on record - our response to the heat remains far too complacent.

The Australian Medical Association has just made a formal declaration that climate change is a health emergency - and they've identified heatwaves, and the associated health risks generated by extreme heat that is driven by climate change, as one of the top dangers facing Australians.

It's time for Australia to start taking heatwaves seriously.

Many people recognise Australia's always been a hot country, we're used to the heat, and we're a hardy lot. They expect we'll continue to adapt, as we've always done.

So we carry on as usual, with no formal laws when strenuous activity like outdoor work should stop, and no major campaigns to educate people that heatwaves could kill any of us.

Heat is dangerous, because while global temperatures are expected to continue to rise due to climate change, our body's ability to adapt is finite.

Humans are designed to function with an internal temperature of 36.8 degrees, plus or minus half a degree, and processes such as sweating are our body's primary way of trying to adjust to hot temperatures.

Sweating becomes less effective as heat or humidity rise, and we start to absorb more heat when we actually need to shed heat. Even gentle activity such as walking increases our internal heat generation, and if our bodies get too hot, consequences can range from fatigue and dizziness to organ failure to death.

Given that not everyone has constant access to air conditioning, and factors like pregnancy, medications, health and age can compromise our ability to keep cool, Australia needs to take the issue of rising temperatures much more seriously.

We despair that Australia's emissions continue to rise, whereas the most obvious way to fight climate change is by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The evidence is clear that this accelerated warming we are seeing is driven by human activity such as burning fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas.

But while the federal government continues to recklessly allow our emissions to increase, the rest of us must get on with it. While many state and local governments are showing climate leadership, we also need to focus on how we'll adapt to rising temperatures.

We need a sustained, coordinated national education effort that teaches the Australian public about heatwaves, which kill more people on our shores than any other natural hazard.

Anyone who was old enough in the 1970s will recognise the catchy jingle of the 'Life. Be in it' campaign, where Aussie bloke Norm and his family inspired people to get active and eat healthy.

We need similar resources channelled into making heatwave danger a household issue. Every Australian should know how to recognise the symptoms of heat stress, how to manage them, and take measures to protect against potentially fatal heat stress.

We need better laws to protect vulnerable workers during dangerously hot conditions, and a resourcing boost to the health sector, as well as heat management training for health professionals to cope with more heat stress cases.

Plainly speaking, heatwaves kill, and Australia is in for more intense and frequent extreme weather events due to climate change. As we head towards another summer that is likely to see dangerously hot temperatures, our elected leaders need to take urgent action.

Only climate action and proper preparation will save us.