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Why were images of a "massive fleet of seahorses", Luke Skywalker on a Tonton and Ronald Reagan on a dinosaur part of a Republican senator's critique of the "Green New Deal"?

Mike Lee of Utah explains his thinking while Democratic congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez defends her proposals for tackling the causes and consequences of climate change.

Click here to watch the remarkable video here.

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Despite being labelled as a "socialist manifesto", the Green New Deal (GND) on climate change and jobs has sparked a lively debate in US politics. So what's in the deal and what will be its likely impact?

President Trump was quick to thrash the Democrats' new approach, external to tackling rising temperatures.

Speaking in El Paso, he said the Green New Deal amounted to "taking away your car, taking away your plane flights".

However in its current form, the GND is more a political statement than a set of proposals aimed at penalising US citizens.

Introduced by Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Ed Markey, the GND is a large scale re-imagining of how economies should work to deal with the root causes of climate change.

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It is likely to be the most critical and controversial report on climate change in recent years.

Leading scientists are meeting in South Korea this week to see if global temperatures can be kept from rising by more than 1.5C this century.

The world has already passed one degree of warming as carbon emissions have ballooned since the 1850s.

Many low-lying countries say they may disappear under the sea if the 1.5C limit is breached.

After a week of deliberations in the city of Incheon, the researchers' new report is likely to say that keeping below this limit will require urgent and dramatic action from governments and individuals alike.

One scientist told BBC News that our lives would never be the same if the world changed course to stay under 1.5C.

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Nicola Sturgeon has said she wants to hold a second referendum on Scottish independence by 2021 if the country is taken out of the EU.

The first minister told Holyrood that she would introduce legislation soon to set the rules for another vote.

But she will not yet ask the UK government for a Section 30 order, which underpinned the last independence referendum in 2014.

She also challenged her party to grow support and demand for independence.

The statement and questions have now concluded.

Read more here.

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Police made 29 arrests as about 300 climate change protesters blocked one of the main roads into Edinburgh's city centre.

Supporters of Extinction Rebellion Scotland targeted North Bridge as part of the International Rebellion, which has taken place in a number of cities.

A "critical mass" bike ride began the Edinburgh protest at 14:00, with cyclists coming from around the city.

The bridge occupation, which caused long tailbacks, lasted until 21:00.

In London protests caused widespread disruption last Monday.

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Scottish Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie says: "There is real anger in Fife about BiFab."

Mr Rennie points out many employees lost their jobs when DF Barnes took the company over.

• Look back on our reports on yesterday's BiFab evidence session at Holyrood.

The Scottish government must deliver on its promises to BiFab and on a just transition, adds Mr Rennie.

He stresses his support for renewables but also the need to bring communities with us going forward.

The Scottish Lib Dem leader urges the Scottish government to get a grip of its waste strategy and opposes fracking, subsidies for open-cast coal mining and cuts to air passenger duty.

Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard says there must be a Green New Deal across all sectors of the economy.

Change will not be made if left to market forces, he warns.

If we are to repurpose the who Scottish economy is cannot be done according to the central tenets of neoliberal economics, Mr Leonard insists.

He calls for a Scottish National Investment Bank to build up the manufacturing base which could support the renewables industry.

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The SNP's Kirsty Blackman asked whether the UK government would reverse its "damaging policies" over nuclear power, cutting support for renewable energy and pursuing fracking.

Conservative David Lidington said there was "clearly more that needs to be done", but since 2010 the UK had cut CO2 emissions more than any G7 nation.

He said tackling climate change needs a "change in attitudes and approach" across society and industry as well as legislation.

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Tory MSP Maurice Golden says his party agrees with much of the sentiment in the Greens motion but cannot support the text in its entirety.

Extreme socialism is no way to tackle climate change argues Mr Golden.

He says sustainability is the key and his party will take an evidence based approach to the issue.

The Tory MSP welcomes the ambition of both the UK and Scottish governments.

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Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham insists the Scottish government has been clear it wants to achieve net-zero emissions and will set a legislative target as soon as it is credible to do so.

She highlights the Committee on Climate Change will publish updated advance on Thursday 2 May - next week - and the Scottish government will alter the emissions target bill accordingly.

The minister hopes the chamber will support a proposal for a Green New Deal, saying linking job creation with decarbonsation are consistent with many government policies.

If we need to reshape or refocus activity to maximise benefits to Scotland, we will she adds.

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MSPs have unanimously backed the general principles of the Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Bill, external.

The Scottish government confirmed it will make amendments to the bill a stage 2 after fresh independent advice on targets has been published.

A coalition of charities has called on Scottish ministers to strengthen the bill by setting a net-zero emissions target in the legislation.

New advice from the Committee on Climate Change is due on 2 May.

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Scottish Green Party co-convener Partick Harvie says the concept of a Green New Deal has gained more recognition and debate in recent months thanks to the work of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

Mr Harvie points out the Green New Deal began in 2008 in response the financial crash and was informed then by his colleague at Westminster Caroline Lucas.

He also says the Green Yes campaign highlighted the need for a post oil and gas economy.

"There is an appetite for an ambitious approach to applying the Green New Deal here in Scotland."

The Scottish Green Party co-convener says he is not impressed by the Scottish government amendment, but will support the Labour amendment.

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Last month, a motion by the Scottish Greens calling for the Scottish Parliament to declare a climate emergency was defeated.

In the United States, a Green New Deal plan was put forward by Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

Last month the Greens brought forward a vote calling on the Scottish Parliament to declare a climate emergency, which was was voted down by SNP, Tory, Labour and Lib Dem MSPs.

A spokesman for the Scottish government said: "In 2017, the Scottish low-carbon and renewable energy sector supported over 46,000 jobs, and generated over £11 billion in turnover."

Click here for a radio programme on the Green New Deal

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Scottish Green Party co-convener Patrick Harvie will now call for a Green New Deal for Scotland.

The Green New Deal on climate change and jobs has sparked a lively debate in US politics of late. It is a large scale re-imagining of how economies should work to deal with the root causes of climate change.

The Scottish Greens want to see such a policy developed by the Scottish government to achieve rapid transition to a zero-carbon economy.

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