WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama is elevating his efforts to combat global warming above almost all else as he seeks to leave an imprint that will endure after he has left office.

It's a strategy rooted not only in Obama's long-stated support for such efforts, but also in political reality.

Two weeks ago, Obama's prospects for realizing his goals on education, wages and immigration diminished when voters put Republicans in full control of Congress through 2016.

But Obama found fruitful opportunities on global warming while traveling overseas last week.

In China, Obama set an ambitious target for cutting U.S. emissions in a landmark deal in which China will also rein in its emissions. In Australia, he pledged $3 billion to help poorer nations address changing temperatures.

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