Page 19 - CMA Journal (Nov-Dec 2025)

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focus on documenting evidence, creating cross-district
Local actors are often the learning networks, and packaging proven approaches
into practical toolkits that member organizations can
first responders to climate replicate within their own areas, ideally in alignment with
government programs and partners.
shocks. When they ICMA: How does CAF engage youth and emerging

understand climate risks climate leaders to drive sustainable development
locally?
and have the skills to plan, Dr. Roomi Hayat: Youth engagement must go beyond
awareness-raising. CAF involves young people in
organize, and implement practical climate work such as data collection,

practical solutions, action community mobilization, local innovation, and climate
entrepreneurship, allowing them to build real skills and
becomes faster, more credibility. By trusting them with responsibility and
giving them platforms to lead, we develop emerging
locally relevant, and easier leaders who are not only climate-conscious but also
capable of driving sustainable development in their
to sustain communities.

ICMA: Looking ahead, what role can multi-stakehold-
er platforms like CAF play in shaping Pakistan’s
climate strategy and attracting international support?
ICMA: How does CAF ensure that climate projects
create real benefits for vulnerable communities while Dr. Roomi Hayat: Multi-stakeholder platforms like CAF
advancing social fairness? bring together diverse perspectives, generate grounded
evidence, and translate it into unified recommendations
Dr. Roomi Hayat: Fairness is built into our project
for government and development partners. This
design. We prioritize interventions that strengthen
livelihoods, reduce climate-induced vulnerabilities, and
empower marginalized groups. Community-based
consultations guide decisions with a deliberate focus on CAF involves young people
women, youth, and low-income households. We align
climate goals with social development safeguards and in practical climate work
ensure responsible implementation through monitoring
and tracking who benefits, so resilience and equity such as data collection,
advance together.
community mobilization,
ICMA: Capacity building is a key focus for CAF. How
does equipping local actors with knowledge and local innovation, and
skills improve climate action on the ground?
climate entrepreneurship,
Dr. Roomi Hayat: Local actors are often the first
responders to climate shocks. When they understand allowing them to build real
climate risks and have the skills to plan, organize, and
implement practical solutions, action becomes faster, skills and credibility
more locally relevant, and easier to sustain. Capacity
building shifts communities from passive recipients to
active leaders, creating long-term ownership, reducing
dependency, and keeping climate action moving
approach strengthens policy coherence and improves
beyond project timelines.
coordination across sectors and regions. Internationally,
ICMA: What lessons has CAF learned from piloting it enhances Pakistan’s climate narrative and gives donors
climate smart projects, and how can these models be a credible platform to support a transparent pipeline of
scaled nationwide? well-aligned, high-impact climate investments.
Dr. Roomi Hayat: Our pilots show that what works best
The Editorial Board thanks Dr. Roomi S. Hayat, Chairperson, Climate
is simple, affordable, and locally owned. Projects succeed Action Forum (CAF) & Chair, Certification Panel at Pakistan Centre
when solutions are easy to adopt, aligned with local for Philanthropy (PCP) for sparing his precious time to give an
practices, and supported over time. To scale nationally, we exclusive interview for Chartered Management Accountant Journal.
ICMA’s Chartered Management Accountant, Nov-Dec, 2025