NICOLA Sturgeon has said every leader and government should be feeling “bloody uncomfortable” at the lack of progress on tackling climate change.
Speaking as the leaders of 120 countries gathered in Glasgow for the COP26 summit, the First Minister was uncompromising in her message to the gathering.
“It should feel bloody uncomfortable, because nobody yet is doing enough and that's the reality,” she said, adding “none” of the high-level promises on change had been kept.
At an event organised by WWF this morning, Ms Sturgeon said more challenging targets to get to net zero carbon were needed, as was more tangible action.
Admitting the Scottish Government, like all others, had fallen short of its own targets, she said the public should hold their leaders to account over their failings.
She said: “If we only face up to the relatively easy things we won't get anywhere.
“This has to be a moment that leaders - all of us, whether we’re round that negotiating table or not - are really held to account for the reality of what we promised not for the rhetoric of it.
“And what can everybody do?
“Make life really uncomfortable for any government, any leader that's not doing enough.
“At times that will be my government - and rightly so. We've all got to be pushed much harder, much faster.
“This summit should not feel comfortable for anybody in a position of leadership and responsibility.
“It should feel bloody uncomfortable, because nobody yet is doing enough and that's the reality.”
READ MORE: COP26 LIVE: Latest from Glasgow summit, road closures and strike action
Ms Sturgeon appeared at the event alongside Manuel Pulgar-Vidal, leader of WWF’s global Climate and Energy Practice and former COP President.
Earlier, Ms Sturgeon met the 18-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg and the Ugandan climate justice activist Vanessa Nakate.
She told the WWF said their perspective was also uncomfortable for leaders.
She said: “I’ve just come from a meeting Greta Thunberg and Vanessa Nakate. You know, those voices often, including for people like me, are really uncomfortable because they make us confront the hard realities of our own lack of delivery. But my goodness they are so important to shake the gatherings that will take in here over the next few days out of a sense of complacency.”
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