Obama sets ambitious energy agenda for his second term

The US president used his inaugural address to reaffirm his commitment to tackling climate change

In his strongest statement on the direction of US energy policy, US president Barack Obama used his inaugural address to reaffirm a commitment to fighting climate change and advancing a shift from fossil fuels.  “The path towards sustainable energy sources will be long and sometimes difficult, but America cannot resist this transition; we must lead it,” he said. Obama devoted 150 words of his 2,000-word text to energy and the environment, compared with 38 for gun control. More revealing was the level of emphasis placed on climate change as a guiding principle of future decision-making. He said the US will continue to invest in alternative energy, even as it strives to increase domestic oil a