To return to the point that I was making in terms of what this Government is doing: in order to actually declare a climate emergency, it has to be backed up with action. We are living in times of dark days. This is true close to home where over half of Welsh wildlife is in decline and one in 14 species are under threat of extinction. We see the impact of climate change in coastal erosion in the Gwent levels. The grief and the anger that we should feel about this is not only grounded in the loss of the natural world but also in our relationship to that natural world, the inspiration we draw from it and the contribution it makes to our health and well-being. We are creatures of our habitats and we are dependent on them. If we let them go, what will it mean for our survival?

Countries that have done little to contribute to the crisis are facing the eye of the storm. Mongolia's temperature has already risen by 2.2 degrees Celsius and they have the worst air pollution in the world. Mozambique has this year faced two cyclones; much of the land near the coast has turned into sea. Yes, the day is dark, but these are also the days when we have a last chance to do something about it. It is fitting in that sense that the origin of the word emergency is from the Latin emergere, meaning 'to arise or bring to light'. It reminds us that light must come out of the darkness if there is any hope. We must act and follow this adage: think globally, act locally.

New Zealand has determined no more gas and oil exploration permits will be granted. The Republic of Ireland will become the world's first country to sell all its investments in fossil fuel companies, likely within five years. And in the United States, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's green new deal aims to virtually eliminate greenhouse gas pollution in a decade.

Wales needs to think now about what actions it will take. Yes, within its competence, but we need to be ambitious. We should set highly far-reaching targets to limit our carbon output, encourage greater use of public transport and electric vehicles, and take steps to become powered solely by renewable energy. For our sake and the sake of the planet, declaring this emergency is a welcome, necessary step, but it must be the beginning of a sea change in our whole approach towards protecting our environment because the impact of climate change isn't remote, isolated or far away, it is now, it is immediate, it is near at hand. Solving it too and halting it is also within our grasp.