COP26: Sturgeon says ‘the Prime Minister is right to be pessimistic at this stage’

Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has urged world leaders to “put our shoulders to the wheel” during the COP26 climate conference.

Boris Johnson warned ahead of the start of the COP26 conference that pledges made in the Paris Agreement to cut emission won’t work.

Sturgeon said that she shares the Prime Minister’s pessimism over the climate talks in Glasgow and urged more than 100 world leaders to work to secure action on climate change.

Sturgeon told Sky News, “The Prime Minister is right to be pessimistic at this stage – I share his pessimism.

“We’ve all got to put the pessimism to one side and put our shoulders to the wheel.

“The UK, having the presidency of this Cop, has a particular responsibility to corral the leaders, to bring them together, to encourage them to do more than they are currently committed to do.

“There’s a big gap on emissions, a big gap on climate finance so much, much work to be done, and I will do everything I can to push it in the right direction.”

Ahead of the summit, the Prime Minister warned, “If Glasgow fails, than the whole thing fails.

“The Paris Agreement will have crumpled at the first reckoning.”

Sturgeon said that world leaders must put their egos aside and focus on working to reach an agreement.

“I hope we can all put egos aside over the next few days to get the outcome that we need, that’s what I am committed to do, I’ve said that to the Prime Minister, to (COP26 President) Alok Sharma,” she said.

“We’ve all got a big responsibility here and if ever there’s a time and a moment in history for everybody to put their political interest, their egos to one side and just focus.

“It’s easy to exaggerate these things sometimes, but this is literally about the future of the planet, are we going to step up and save the planet or are we going to accept a pretty bleak outlook on this planet?”

Sturgeon added, “I do feel, and I hope every leader coming here feels, a massive weight of responsibility.

“If we come out of this in two weeks’ time without the commitments necessary then I don’t know how my generation of leaders looks the next generation in the eye.”