The Scottish Conservatives have called for the construction of two new nuclear power stations.

The policy was launched by the party's leader Ruth Davidson on Wednesday as part of a raft of measures to tackle climate change.

Under the proposals, new nuclear power stations would be built on the existing Hunterston and Torness sites.

Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson said: "How we protect our environment and tackle climate change says a lot about us.

"It says what kind of nation we want to live in. It says how we want to engage with the world and each other. It says what sort of future we want to build for our children.

"The Scottish Conservatives believe in protecting and enhancing our natural heritage. We must do more than just repair damage, we must also improve our environment.

"We believe it is our duty to the next generation to leave Scotland a better place than we found it."

The policy paper contains no costing for the proposals or a time line for their construction.

When asked to provide these, a party spokesman said such matters would be "discussed at the time of the decision" and "it's just a commitment in principle just now".

He said: "We made clear in our 2016 manifesto that we want to secure the long-term future of nuclear energy in Scotland.

"Today's paper reiterates that. We want to ensure the development of nuclear energy at Torness and Hunterston continues and join with others in investigating the most effective way to do this."

The policy was described as "flogging a dead horse" by environmental group Friends of the Earth Scotland.

Richard Dickson, the organisation's director, said: "I am glad to see a of high level of support in the paper for renewable energy.

"However, on nuclear power, they are flogging a dead a horse.

"We have seen around the world - French and Chinese companies involved in UK nuclear power in serious financial trouble. Both EDF and Toshiba are essentially propped up by their respective governments.

"Nuclear power is not something that works in the modern world, both on economic and environmental grounds.

"It creates dangerous waste for thousands of years."

The policy was also criticised by the SNP.

A spokeswoman for the party said: "Considering the eye-watering bills the public face for the Hinkley Point vanity project in England - which could cost the taxpayer as much as £37bn - it's staggering that the Tories want their own white elephants nuclear projects in Scotland without any detail on when, where, how or who will pay.

"This so called green plan lacks any tangible commitment to reduce emissions - and is completely silent on wind power, which the Tories zealously oppose, as well as fracking, where they advocate a gung-ho approach without concern for any environmental impact.

"The SNP has already met its 2020 target of 42% emissions reductions six years early and the new climate change plan demonstrates a new level of ambition to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 66% by 2032.

"The Tories have an appalling record on the environment. If Ruth Davidson wants to be taken seriously, she should call on her Westminster colleagues to fulfil their broken promise on carbon capture investment and to reverse their cuts to support for renewable energy."