“Declaring a war on coal is tantamount to declaring a war on jobs," he said. "It is tantamount to kicking the ladder out from beneath the feet of many Americans struggling in today’s economy.”

As part of a global effort, Obama said he would work with China and other major polluters to reduce carbon emissions. He recently reached an agreement with Chinese President Xi Jinping to phase out chlorofluorocarbons, greenhouse gases used in refrigerators and air conditioners.

“We compete for business with them, but we also share a planet," Obama said. "And we have to all shoulder the responsibility for keeping the planet habitable, or we are going to suffer the consequences together.”

The president’s initiative would also allow more wind and solar energy projects on government land.

It would raise government standards for vehicle fuel efficiency.

And it would send federal money to local governments to help them deal with the effects of climate change-related weather disasters.