WWF said the Scottish Parliament had the chance to make changes

The sixth WWF report on the state of the natural world measures the environmental impact or "ecological footprint" left by 150 countries.

It ranked Scotland as 15th worst for the damage caused by its consumption of natural resources.

WWF said Scotland's standing had not improved since the last report in 2004.

It claimed that if everyone on the planet consumed as much as those in Scotland, three planets would be needed to survive.

It is time to make some vital choices Dr Richard Dixon WWF Scotland

The group's Scottish director, Dr Richard Dixon, said: "WWF believes it is time to make some vital choices.

"Somebody else, somewhere else, is paying the price of our consumption rates in Scotland, whether it is the rainforest in Brazil, the hippo in Uganda or the savannah of South America.

"The Scottish Parliament has the opportunity to make changes that will improve our living standards while reducing our impact on the environment."

He said the houses, schools and energy systems built today would either "lock society into damaging over-consumption" or propel future generations towards sustainable living.

'Moral responsibility'

"Political parties need to make serious and credible commitments to reducing Scotland's ecological footprint," Dr Dixon said.

"Anyone who wants to be in power in Scotland needs to demonstrate that they take seriously our moral responsibility to reduce Scotland's global environmental impact."

However, WWF Scotland said the country's Global Footprint project was leading the way in trying to reduce the damage it caused the environment.

It said North Lanarkshire was the first local authority in the UK to develop its own footprint reduction strategy, with Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Council soon to follow.

The report found the United Arab Emirates, America and Finland were biggest drain on the planet's resources.