Climate activist Greta Thunberg has pulled out of an appearance at the Edinburgh International Book Festival over its links to the fossil fuel industry.

Axar.az reports that she had been due to attend an event at the annual festival on 13 August.

But she said she would now not do so because the festival receives sponsorship from the Baillie Gifford investment firm.

She claimed Baillie Gifford "invests heavily in the fossil fuel industry".

Ms Thunberg accused the industry of "greenwashing" by sponsoring cultural events, and said she did not want to be associated with it.

She added: "Greenwashing efforts by the fossil fuel industry, including sponsorship of cultural events, allow them to keep the social license to continue operating.

"I cannot and do not want to be associated with events that accept this kind of sponsorship."

Baillie Gifford, which has sponsored the book festival for 19 years, said it was not a significant fossil fuel investor, with 2% of its clients' money invested in companies with some business related to fossil fuels compared to a market average of 11%.