The Scottish Government is being urged to adopt new targets for cutting emissions that are "considerably more stretching" to help global efforts to tackle climate change.

Advisory body, the UK Committee of Climate Change, has suggested that by 2050 emissions should be 90% lower than they were in 1990, if the goal of the Paris Agreement to limit the global rise in temperature to 1.5 degrees is to be achieved.

Existing climate change legislation commits Scotland to cutting greenhouse gases by 80% by that point.

The committee said Scotland could set a new target, aiming for a 90% reduction by 2050, but warned this would "be close to the achievable limit".

New policies and extra funding would be required to do this, it added, stating that "strong progress across every area of the economy" would be required.

For example, emissions from transport would have to be cut by more than 90% between 2014 and 2050 - with the report suggesting this would require two thirds (65%) of vehicles sold to be electric by 2030, ahead of 100% by 2050.

The committee, which produced the report ahead of ministers bringing forward new legislation on climate change, said however that it was for "Scotland to make a decision on the level of ambition".

It suggested that as an alternative to setting a new target now, the current one could be kept in place with ministers carrying out "subsequent reviews about increasing ambition".

But it also suggested the Scottish Government set interim targets, to cut emissions by 56% by 2020 and 66% by 2030 - saying this would keep open the option of achieving a 90% reduction by 2050.

Committee member Professor Jim Skea said: "Scotland has been leading the way in reducing emissions while continuing to grow its economy. The Paris Agreement represents a landmark change in global action to tackle climate change.

"The proposed legislation could allow Scotland to build on its own progress and international changes. In doing so, the Scottish Parliament should reflect on the right balance between ambition and achievement, as well as the range of direct and indirect benefits that come with acting to reduce carbon emissions."

Mary Church, head of campaigns at the environmental group Friends of the Earth Scotland, branded the advice "bitterly disappointing", arguing that is lacks "both urgency and ambition in its proposed approach to new climate legislation for Scotland".

She hit out: "Effectively the committee has said don't bother trying to do more before 2030 and just try a little harder for 2050, letting this generation of politicians off the hook and kicking serious climate action into the long grass.

"This in no way lives up the SNP's promise of increased ambition and does nothing for the millions of people whose lives literally depend on the 1.5 degree target enshrined in the Paris Agreement. Scotland can and should go further than existing targets and should be aiming for zero emissions by 2040 at the latest."

A Scottish Government spokesman said: "Scotland is already a world-leader in tackling climate change, having reduced greenhouse gas emissions by more than 45% since 1990.

"Recognising that the Paris climate agreement represents a call to further action for all countries, the Scottish Government has committed to setting new and more testing statutory emission reduction targets through a Climate Change Bill.

"Our approach to climate targets is based on best evidence, which is why we commissioned independent, expert advice on the Bill from the Committee on Climate Change.

"We welcome the committee's publication today and look forward to studying its recommendations over the coming weeks. We will shortly begin consulting with key stakeholders on our approach to the Bill, followed by full public consultation in the summer."