Scotland has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions to its 2020 target six years early, new statistics show.

The latest statistics published on the country's greenhouse gas emissions show Scotland cut its emissions by 12.5% in 2014 compared to the previous year. A total of 41.9m tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) was emitted under the criteria used to measure the targets, the country's total emissions was 46.7m tonnes.

The reduction to 41.9m tonnes of CO2 represents a 45.8% reduction in Scotland's emissions since 1990. Scotland's target was to reduce emissions by 42% by 2020.

The Scottish Governemnt's environment, climate change and land reform secretary Roseanna Cunnigham said the statistics show the country is making "outstanding progress" in battling climate change.

Cunnigham said: "Scotland is making outstanding progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. These statistics show that we not only met the annual 2014 emissions reduction target but also exceeded the level of our world-leading 2020 target for a 42% reduction, six years ahead of schedule.

"The reduction in residential emissions in 2014 may have been due to people turning down their heating. This underlines that small individual actions, if repeated on a large scale, can have a big impact in tackling climate change

"This is an especially important time for climate change, in light of the international agreement reached in Paris last December and it is great news that Scotland continues to show ambition and demonstrate the progress that can be made.

"We will continue to rise to the challenge and the First Minister has already confirmed that the Scottish Government plans to establish a new and more testing 2020 target. We are not complacent and we will continue to take action and encourage others to do their bit to tackle climate change."

The Scottish Greens said the figures show now is the time to "transform" Scottish Government policies.

The party's climate change spokesperson Mark Russell said: "Today's figures show we've moved in the right direction with the closure of incredibly-polluting coal-power stations and the shift away from using landfill and instead reducing and recycling waste.

"Transport remains the Scottish Government's weak spot, with road traffic back to where it was in 2007 and the hugely-polluting aviation sector doubling its impact.

"If we're to stretch our climate targets further, ministers are going to have to transform their policies and budgets, and the Scottish Greens stand ready to help them make those changes."

The newly released figures also show Scotland has cut its emissions by a greater level than the UK average.

Since 1999 Scottish source emissions have been reduced by 39.5% compared to the UK average of 33%.

This is the first time the Scottish Government has met its reduction targets.