ISLAMABAD: The global south civil society month of Action on heatwaves was kicked off on Friday night with a hybrid ceremony, bringing together civil society, experts and community leaders to raise a unified voice against the causes, losses and damages caused by heatwaves.

Heatwaves, intensified by climate change, are becoming more frequent, prolonged and severe, disproportionately affecting communities with limited resources to adapt.

The global south, which contributes the least to global greenhouse gas emissions, suffers the most from rising temperatures, water shortages, crop failures and heat-related health crises.

The global south month of action on heatwaves is being marked across Africa, Asia, Europe,the Far East and other regions with an objective to amplify the civil society voices urging the Global North to takenecessary measures urgently to save lives in the Global South.

Throughout the month, civil society organisations, activists, researchers and policymakers will engage in various advocacy campaigns, media interactions and community-driven initiatives to demand action on heatwaves.

The campaign seeks to ensure that climate adaptation and resilience-building remain at the forefront of global policy discussions.

Devcom-Pakistan Executive Director Munir Ahmed has been designated as the Regional Director Asia for the Global South Civil Society on Heatwave on a voluntary basis.

Speaking on the urgency of the issue, he emphasised the responsibility of industrialised nations in addressing the crisis.

`The Global North must act now to control Greenhouse Gas emissions and allocate funds to save the lives of vulnerable Global South communitiesfrom extreme heatwaves.

Every delay in action translates to more deaths, displacement, and destruction. The industrial states must acknowledge their historical responsibility and provide the necessary financial and technical resources to mitigate the worsening impacts of climate change,` he said.

The Global South Month of Action on Heatwave is a crucial moment to consolidate our voices and demand urgent global responses to this escalating crisis,` he added.

An expert Dr Carlos Ferreyra said that month was a unified movement designed to draw international attention to the catastrophic consequences of heatwaves and to demand immediate, effective policies to counteract them.

`Our aim is to create a consolidated civil society voice that pushes for climate justice, enhanced adaptation measures and increased financial support for the most affected regions. Governments, international institutions, and climatestakeholders must step up to protect vulnerable populations from the life-threatening impacts of extreme heat,` he said.

Adding a scientific perspective to the campaign, Dr Ghulam Rasool, former Director General of the Pakistan Meteorological Department, has stated `Scientific data from recent years clearly indicates that heatwaves are intensifying, with rising temperatures breakinghistoricalrecords.

The Global South is experiencingunprecedentedlevels of heat stress, leading to severe health impacts, agricultural losses, and water scarcity.

Without immediate action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and implement largescale adaptation measures, millions will face unbearable living conditions, he said adding, `The Global South Month of Action on Heatwave is a crucial platform to push for datadriven policies that prioritize the protection of human lives and ecosystems. -