A series of reports looking at the economic and environmental viability of fracking will be published.

The work was commissioned by the Scottish Government in January 2015 when the SNP administration brought in a moratorium on unconventional oil and gas extraction.

The research considers the benefit fracking would have for the economy, as well as implications it would have for public health and the environment.

A major consultation on whether or not to give fracking the green light is still to take place, with Holyrood ministers keen to stress their desire to both take "an evidence-based approach" and give the public a voice on the issue.

With a raft of reports to be published on Tuesday, energy minister Paul Wheelhouse is due to make a statement to MSPs.

Friends of the Earth Scotland head of campaigns Mary Church said: "We expect the research gathered by the Scottish Government will echo the growing body of evidence that documents the negative impacts of fracking on communities, public health, the environment and climate.

"Nations must commit to leaving fossil fuels in the ground and we hope that the Scottish Government will put climate change at the forefront of its decision-making on fracking."

WWF Scotland director Lang Banks agreed "any considered review of the evidence should lead to the conclusion that there is no place for fracking in Scotland's energy future".

He added: "The climate science is clear - the vast majority of known fossil fuel reserves need to be left in the ground.

"Scotland should [be] playing to its natural advantages in clean, green renewable energy and capitalising on the jobs, climate benefits and health improvements a zero-carbon future can deliver."

Commenting ahead of Wheelhouse's statement, Scottish Labour's environment and climate change spokeswoman Claudia Beamish said: "The SNP should use the opportunity today to back Labour's plan to ban fracking in Scotland.

"The climate change science is already irrefutable; we don't need another fossil fuel and we shouldn't lock ourselves into relying on one when we need to be moving on to clean energy.

"If we want to leave our planet in the right condition for our grandchildren then we need to take responsibility now and outlaw fracking."

The SNP reiterated their commitment to taking an evidence-based approach to fracking, saying it would be "wholly wrong" to impose an outright ban before a public consultation can be conducted.

A spokesperson sad: "The expert reports being published today were commissioned by the Scottish Government to ensure the public debate on fracking is well informed and based on the best available evidence.

"The publication of these reports will be followed by a national consultation, which will give communities the length and breadth of Scotland the chance to have their say on the future of unconventional oil and gas. It would be wholly wrong to deny the people a voice at this stage, as Labour proposes.

"The moratorium already put in place by Scottish ministers ensures fracking cannot take place here, in stark contrast with the situation in England.

"Ministers have consistently taken a cautious, evidence led approach to the development of unconventional oil and gas. Their recent decision to block plans for underground coal gasification is firm evidence of that."