Obama Makes Strong Pledge to Combat Global Warming

Photo: U.S. Senate photo

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President-elect Barack Obama, in video remarks to the Bi-Partisan Governor's Global Climate Summit in California, re-iterated his support for strong action to combat global warming in 2009 and beyond.

In part:

"My presidency will mark a new chapter in America’s leadership on climate change that will strengthen our security and create millions of new jobs in the process," he said.

"That will start with a federal cap and trade system. We will establish strong annual targets that set us on a course to reduce emissions to their 1990 levels by 2020 and reduce them an additional 80% by 2050.

"Further, we will invest $15 billion each year to catalyze private sector efforts to build a clean energy future. We will invest in solar power, wind power, and next generation biofuels. We will tap nuclear power, while making sure it’s safe. And we will develop clean coal technologies.

"This investment will not only help us reduce our dependence on foreign oil, making the United States more secure. And it will not only help us bring about a clean energy future, saving our planet. It will also help us transform our industries and steer our country out of this economic crisis by generating five million new green jobs that pay well and can’t be outsourced."

Environmental groups are cheering.

Here's a look at his full statement:

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