Tackling climate change requires us to do things differently. For people and the planet.

For now and for the future but especially for our young people. That is why I am pleased this month to be meeting with Year Six pupils at Our Lady of the Angels Primary School in Cwmbran to discuss what the Senedd is doing differently to help improve the environment.

Renewable energy is one of the most effective tools we have in the fight against climate change. Home-grown renewable energy helps to lower our carbon emissions and creates green jobs.

Wales already generates 55 per cent of electricity from renewables but it has now set ambitious but credible targets to meet 100 per cent of its electricity needs from renewable sources by 2035.

A current consultation proposes, Wales sets a target for at least 1.5 GW of renewable energy capacity to be locally owned by 2035, excluding heat pumps.

In a bid to see profits re-invested back in Wales to benefit people in Wales, Welsh Government has also announced plans to create a publicly-owned renewable energy developer.

To help deliver a just transition to net zero, Welsh Government is running a call for evidence to ensure its statutory target of achieving zero emissions by 2050 are based on robust evidence. The aim is to develop a clear understanding of the impacts of change, positive and negative, and how to make sure these are fairly distributed in society.

Bold action is required if we are to meet our emissions targets.

So far this has included rolling out a retrofit programme to decarbonise social homes, offering every home a free tree, becoming world leaders in domestic recycling and putting into law a Single Use Plastics Bill.

Further bold actions are on the horizon including a Clean Air Bill next month and, in 2025, a joint deposit return scheme with England and Northern Ireland that will see people pay a small deposit when buying a drink in a single use container, which they will get back on return of the bottle or the can.

It is clear that everyone has a role to play in tackling climate change. That is why I am looking forward to hearing how the pupils at Our Lady of the Angels recycle food waste, paper and plastics and to hearing what more they think we could do.

I would like to hear your views, too.

If you have time, please take part in the both the renewable and net zero consultations on the Welsh Government website.