Strikes are taking place across the country, with rallies planned in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Stirling, Inverness, Dumfries, Falkirk and Ullapool, Highlands.

The protests are led by Fridays For Future, a movement that began after Greta Thunberg began boycotting school every week to sit outside Sweden’s parliament to shame politicians for their inadequate response to the environmental crisis.

More than 35,000 young people, joined by the Swedish activist, marched through the streets of Glasgow during the UN COP26 conference last November to demand climate justice.

The next day, 100,000 people of all ages from around the world did the same.

Members of Fridays For Future Scotland say this week’s global climate strike will keep the pressure on politicians to act, instead of making empty promises.

In a statement, the group said: “COP26 failed us – not that we expected it to be effective.

“Around the world, the planet is burning as wealth and power become increasingly concentrated in the hands of a few.

“Policymakers sit idly by, choosing not to protect people and the planet, but to exacerbate the climate crisis.

“Young people around the world are standing up against this dereliction of duty.”

One of the demands is to “put people before profit” and end the use of fossil fuels, the main source of greenhouse gas emissions.

Cerys Gough, 18, from Langholm, Dumfries and Galloway, said: “The science is clear.

“We have already seen irreversible damage from the climate crisis, and the recent IPCC report declared a code red situation.

“We can’t afford to delay any longer, that’s why we’re taking to the streets again.”

Cora Gibson, 15, from Edinburgh, added: “We don’t need to wait for the next COP to act on the climate crisis.

“Governments could invest in renewable energy, phase out fossil fuels, improve public transport, make our homes less dependent on fossil fuels and much more.”