Romney says climate change presents a big challenge to US

SALT LAKE CITY — Mitt Romney says one of the biggest challenges facing the country is climate change and that global solutions are needed to combat it.

In a speech to an investment management conference Wednesday night in Salt Lake City, the Republican nominee for president in 2012 said that more needs to be done to deal with poverty in America. He told about 3,000 people that the education system needs help too, and that teacher pay should be higher.

Romney said last week that he’s seriously considering running a third time for president. He didn’t talk about a potential campaign in 2016 during his Salt Lake City remarks, but he did use his appearance to criticize President Barack Obama and other leaders in Washington for not doing enough about climate change and education.

MICHELLE L. PRICE, Associated Press