Obama repeats vow to move rapidly on climate issues

Speaking to a bipartisan group of governors by video on Tuesday, the president-elect said that despite the weakening economy, he had no intention of softening or delaying his aggressive targets for reducing emissions that cause the warming of the planet.

"Now is the time to confront this challenge once and for all," Obama said. "Delay is no longer an option. Denial is no longer an acceptable response."

He repeated his campaign vow to reduce climate-altering carbon dioxide emissions by 80 percent by 2050 and invest $150 billion in new energy-saving technologies.

Some industry leaders and members of Congress have suggested that Obama's climate proposal would impose too great a cost on an already stressed economy - having the same effects as a tax on coal, oil and natural gas - and should await the end of the current downturn. A bill similar to Obama's plan failed to clear the Senate this year, largely because of concerns about its impact on the economy.