NICOLA Sturgeon has admitted the COP26 climate summit will cause "disruption and inconvenience" for those living in Glasgow as she urged protesters not to add to this. 

However, the First Minister said the majority of Glaswegians will understand the importance of the global talks for the future of the planet. 

COP26, which takes place between October 31 and November 12, will see more than 25,000 delegates descend on Glasgow as well as thousands of protesters and activists.

More than 120 world leaders are due to attend, including US President Joe Biden. 

The number of attendees and road closures associated with the event have raised concerns about widespread disruption. 

Rail strikes were called off after the RMT trade union accepted a pay deal last night, but refuse workers are still due to take industrial action.

During First Minister's Questions in Holyrood, Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross pressed Ms Sturgeon on whether she is "fully confident that Glasgow is ready to grasp this opportunity".

He said there is "real potential for disruption from protest groups" that "risks public safety". 

Mr Ross insisted there must be a must be a “zero tolerance” approach to unlawful protests.

Ms Sturgeon said it is for Police Scotland to decide the appropriate approach to policing demonstrations. 

She said Chief Constable Iain Livingstone has been clear there will be a "sensitive policing operation that will do everything possible to facilitate appropriate and peaceful protest". 

She added: "However, Police Scotland will respond to any protests that seek to break the law and disrupt people beyond what would be considered reasonable.

"People want to come and make their voices heard. That is understandable, given the importance of the issues that are under discussion.

"However, I say to people who are looking to come to protest in Glasgow that they should do it peacefully and with recognition that the people of Glasgow are agreeing to host the conference and suffering some disruption because of that, so they should not add to that disruption for them. Let us all get behind the people who will negotiate a good outcome — I hope — for the future of the planet."

Earlier, Ms Sturgeon said: "To the people of Glasgow, and I am a resident of the city of Glasgow and a representative of part of the city of Glasgow: there will be disruption and inconvenience over the next two weeks, and I know that will be regrettable in many ways. 

"But I think the majority of the people in Glasgow understand the importance of the COP26 summit for the future of the planet."

Mr Ross said: “COP26 presents a huge opportunity to tackle climate change but for working people across Glasgow, it will disrupt their daily lives, even with this RMT strike cancelled.

"Extinction Rebellion have said they are planning 'deliberate disruption' with the most impact possible.

"We all respect the right of protesters to express their views, but we cannot sit back and allow deliberate and dangerous disruption of people’s lives that could risk public safety.

"People across Glasgow need reassurances that there will be a zero tolerance approach from the SNP Government and city council towards protests that disrupt people going to work, including hospital staff and ambulances carrying people in urgent need of medical care.

"It is one thing to be frustrated by the lack of action on climate change, but it is another thing entirely to take that frustration and use it to disrupt working people’s lives.

"We all want COP26 to be a success - it’s not just an opportunity to tackle climate change, it’s a once in a generation chance to highlight the best of Glasgow to the rest of the world."