Washington: PresidentGeorge W. Bush has proposed slashing US petrol use over the next decadeto help wean the nation off foreign oil and combat the "seriouschallenge" of global warming. 

Bush's warning in his annual State of the Union policyspeech to Congress Tuesday was his strongest acknowledgement in six years aspresident that climate change requires action.

Facing an opposition-controlled Congress with some of hislowest public approval ratings ever, Bush lobbied for his disputed plan to send21,500 more troops to Iraqto help end sectarian killings.

But with no quick success in sight in Iraq, he sought to step out of thewar's shadow with his speech to both houses of Congress at the Capitol buildinghere.

A year after warning Americans that they are "addictedto oil", he called for mandatory rules aimed at cutting US petrolconsumption by 20 percent over the next 10 years by requiring higher fuelefficiency for passenger cars and increased use of alternative fuels.

He also called for a doubling of the US national oilstockpile to 1.5 billion barrels by 2027 to cushion the nation against importshocks.

"Americais on the verge of technological breakthroughs that will enable us to live ourlives less dependent on oil.

"These technologies will help us be better stewards ofthe environment ­ and they will help us to confront the serious challenge ofglobal climate change," Bush said.

The president added that the plan would make the US oil suppliesless vulnerable to "hostile regimes" and terrorists, but it alsoreflects growing pressure on Bush to act against global warming after years ofcriticism by foreign leaders and international organisations.

If enacted by the government, it would require Americans toincrease the use of renewable and alternative fuels nearly fivefold by 2017,stopping the projected growth of US carbon-dioxide emissions from vehicles bythe same year, according to the White House.

The plan stops short of mandatory emissions limits. Bushstaunchly opposes binding targets, but he has fallen behind the US public moodon climate change.

State governments and cities are pushing ahead with localplans to curb greenhouse-gas emissions and even US companies are calling fortougher action than Bush is prepared to take.

Bush also highlighted the billions of dollars the US provides in foreign aid to deal with hunger,poverty, malaria and AIDS, especially in Africa.

"American foreign policy is more than a matter of warand diplomacy," he said.
 

"Our work in the world is also based on a timelesstruth to whom much is given, much is required," he said.