"Look, if anybody still wants to dispute the science around climate change, have at it," said Obama.
"You'll be pretty lonely, because you'll be debating our military, most of America's business leaders, the majority of the American people, almost the entire scientific community, and 200 nations around the world who agree it's a problem and intend to solve it.
"But even if the planet wasn't at stake; even if 2014 wasn't the warmest year on record?-?until 2015 turned out even hotter?-?why would we want to pass up the chance for American businesses to produce and sell the energy of the future?"
Obama's comments on the environment in his final State of the Union address could serve to pass the environmental torch between the current US administration and the next, depending on the state of Congress after the federal election.
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