Democratic U.S. presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama speaks during a news conference on biofuel at Molly's Gas Station March 31, 2008 in Manheim, Pennsylvania.
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Barack Obama
Barack Obama opposes ending a federal ban that prohibits offshore drilling along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. He says that lifting the ban would only serve to benefit America’s big oil companies.

As the world’s largest producer of greenhouse gases, the United States must take the lead in the battle against global warming, says Obama. He vows to create a Global Energy Forum composed of the top energy-consuming nations in the world. This international committee would focus its attention on environmental issues and global energy.

Recognizing the serious threat that climate change poses to our planet, Obama says he would create a system that would dramatically reduce America’s carbon emissions. He would also invest $150 billion over the next 10 years to promote clean energy and conservation. That money would be used to increase the market for hybrid cars, invest in low-emissions coal plants, and begin the move to a new digital electricity grid. Obama says he would double science and research funding for projects that use solar, wind, and biomass resources.