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Budget cuts are damaging Scotland’s climate change ambitions, a Holyrood committee has warned.

An overall increase in spending has not been met with funding for key areas said the environment committee.

Funding for climate change measures was rising by 20% this year to £558m but spending on agriculture, for example, the third biggest emitter of greenhouse gases, is down 30%.

And funding for peatland restoration which locks in the carbon is down 40%.

In a letter the committee stated: "The finance received from Europe for environmental objectives is considerable and a significant part of the budget of Marine Scotland, SNH (Scottish Natural Heritage), Zero Waste Scotland and SEPA (Scottish Environment Protection Agency.

"The research institutes and stakeholders also rely heavily on EU funding. There is no certainty as to what will replace this.

"The committee is gravely concerned by this and recommends the Scottish government work closely with agencies and partners and the UK government to identify possible replacement funding streams, as a matter of extreme urgency."

The Scottish government said the increased overall budget "recognises the fundamental importance of the environment and climate change mitigation and adaptation to Scotland's economy and people".

A spokesman added: "Scotland is making sustained progress to its world-leading climate targets, having now met its annual target for the second successive year.

"Spend on measures supporting emissions reductions is up 20% from the previous draft budget and amounts to over £1bn across two years."