By Bhagyashree Garekar, US Correspondent

WASHINGTON: United States President-elect Barack Obama yesterday vowed to press ahead with promises to tackle energy and environmental issues when he named a 'green' team, which environmentalists are calling a dream team.

Acknowledging that a succession of US presidents and Congresses had failed to make much progress on the issues, he said: 'This time must be different. This will be a leading priority of my presidency and a defining test of our time. We cannot accept complacency, nor accept any more broken promises.'

He was speaking at a press conference in Chicago at which he introduced his choices to head the Energy Department and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

For more The Straits Times stories, click here.