It was back in 2019 that this Senedd became the first Parliament to declare a climate emergency and, a few months ago, the first Parliament to declare a nature emergency. We know that the task ahead is monumental, and that it requires serious thinking and the will to change the system that we live in. I have always been clear: the current economic system that we live under is incompatible with dealing with the climate and nature emergency, as is the truth of any system that puts profit and greed above all else.

The shift to a net-zero economy, for example, will be one of the most profound economic transformations that we have seen in decades, and a pivotal moment in the history of not just Wales, but humanity. It calls on us to put community and planet first. We are the ones, right here, right now, who will decide whether or not this planet is habitable for our grandchildren. We are living in one of those points, as Delyth Jewell said, in history where humanity succeeds or fails.

As we shift to a net-zero economy, the consequences for our communities will be far reaching. Yes, decarbonisation offers us some potentially rich rewards, but we must ensure that everyone benefits from those rewards. Members will hopefully be aware of the principle of just transition. This principle must be key to any strategy to tackle climate change. It means moving our economy to a more sustainable one, in a way that's fair for all workers, no matter what industry they work in.

The way that our economy is set up now means that many people's livelihoods and wider communities are tied to the polluting industries: industries that are going to drastically change; industries that will shrink; and industries that will potentially disappear entirely, which will ultimately change the lives of workers in the communities for generations to come. We have seen the impact of an unjust transition already. When Thatcher closed the pits, communities were left out to dry, and the effects are still being dealt with today.

The Welsh Government must explore the opportunities to establish a renewable energy centre of excellence to address the current skills gap, whether that is through training people anew or retraining those in high-carbon sectors. This can only be delivered on a national strategic scale. I'd like to ask the Welsh Government to outline their response honestly, if they believe that the workforce as it currently exists can deliver on their green commitments. Can the workforce actually deliver green housing commitments? Can it deliver energy insulation goals? Can it deliver for nature?

To build a net-zero workforce, we need to see leadership from the Welsh Government to facilitate cross-sector efforts to upskill workers. A wide range of stakeholders—such as EDF, for instance—have expressed concerns as to whether Wales would have the capacity to create more jobs following the COVID-19 pandemic. Similar concerns were echoed this morning in a meeting that I held with representatives of the construction sector.

Over the next five years, all companies in Wales will have to be on some kind of decarbonisation journey. We need to seize the initiative and act now to develop a comprehensive green workforce strategy, or whatever the Welsh Government wants to call it—just do it. We could create thousands and thousands of jobs, bring economic prosperity to a range of sectors across the length and breadth of Wales, deliver our green aims, and secure a sustainable future for all. But we need to be strategic, we need ensure that there is a well-equipped, highly trained, green workforce there to deliver these aims.

And finally, Dirprwy Lywydd, there’s something that I think that is often overlooked when we talk about transitioning the economy into a more sustainable one, and that’s poverty. We know that people want to make those green changes in their lives, as Jenny Rathbone indicated, but the reality is they simply can’t afford to. It’s all well and good for us here to stand up and go on about the changes we need to make, but we, of course, speak from a privileged position. If you’re a family with kids to feed, working multiple jobs and doing everything you can to make ends meet, then you simply can’t afford to go and buy sustainable food. You can’t afford to go to the zero-waste shop, you can’t afford to switch to an electric vehicle, you can’t afford to do anything other than the precarious status quo. Tackling the climate emergency must mean tackling poverty. We have the chance to change everything, to flip the table. When we take those steps, they need to be for everyone. We’ve talked enough, and time is up. It’s now or never.