Mr. Kevin McCarthy:

If it is helpful, we can describe the framework structure I tried to describe regarding local community development committees and public participation networks. That might give some flavour of the activities engaged in at a local level for raising awareness. There is potential not yet fully realised in respect of the opportunities to work through these structures to engage on the climate action agenda. The public participation networks have been involved in consultations and leading consultation processes on behalf of the Climate Change Advisory Council, for example.

They stand ready to do more. There is a particular issue with the public participation networks because of the levels of representation from the environmental pillar. The structure of the public participation networks, as established, was that they were to be representative of social inclusion, community and voluntary and environmental pillars. The environmental representation is very low. We have tried to work with the environmental pillar to try to see how we can activate a greater involvement from environmental organisations on those public participation networks. It is important that we make progress on that front.

I will add that any mandate this committee could give to that structure to help deliver on the climate action agenda more generally would be helpful from our point of view. There is a willingness to engage and lead at a local level on this.