The White House has denied media reports suggesting that Bush would agree to mandatory caps on emissions in an effort to combat global warming, Reuters reports.

The British newspaper “The Observer” reported on Sunday that senior Downing Street officials said Bush was preparing to issue a changed climate policy during his annual State of the Union speech.

A column in the Washington Post also speculated on the possibility of a shift on the climate policy that would be unveiled during the speech.

White House spokesman Tony Snow said he could not discuss what Bush will announce in the State of the Union speech but suggested the president was sticking to his emphasis on voluntary steps to curb emissions.