Mr Finnie, speaking at the UN Climage Change talks in Nairobi, announced today (13th November) that Scottish greenhouse gas emissions in general are down16 percent since 1990, with CO2 releases down 14 percent over the same period.

The findings – lifted from a study by the National Environmental Technology Centre (NETCEN) for the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) – state that emissions in Scotland fell by around 3 million tonnes between 1990 and 2004.

The report attributed the drop to a fall in emissions from coal-fired power stations. However it also noted that pollution from road transport in Scotland has continued to rise.

Mr Finnie told conference delegates: “Scotland takes climate change seriously. Our global contribution to greenhouse gas emissions may be small but the effect of climate change on developing countries, including many in Africa, could be catastrophic.”

The minister went on to add that small countries, states and regions have an important role in building momentum towards a concerted international response.

Mr Finnie was also proud to point out that the figures demonstrate that Scotland is taking the lead in tackling climate change: “I hope that Scotland’s achievements and actions may inspire others to recognise that by working together we can make a difference,” concluded Mr Finnie.

Duncan McLaren, Friends of the Earth Scotland chief executive said: “On the face of it, these figures show good progress - but to really face up to the challenge of climate chaos, annual reductions of this scale will need to be made for the next 25 years.

Click here for Defra’s full report