The Obama administration will today unveil the most far-reaching action on climate change in US history by imposing stringent emissions cuts on the power sector, a move that faces ferocious opposition from both political rivals and industry.

Giving weight to charges by the coal companies and their Republican allies that it is waging a “war on coal”, the Obama administration will demand bigger cuts in greenhouse gas emissions than it proposed last year, likely to lead to the closure of more coal-fired power plants and boosting wind and solar power.

The targets are central to President Barack Obama’s goal of leaving a legacy on climate change. “There are few issues that are more important to the president, who sees acting on climate as a moral, economic and national security obligation,” said a senior administration official.