CHICAGO (AP) -- President-elect Barack Obama says former Vice President Al Gore's ideas on the environment would be key to helping the nation's struggling economy recovery.

Obama, Gore and Vice President-elect Joe Biden met privately at Obama's transition headquarters in Chicago for almost two hours on Tuesday. The trio invited reporters and photographers to a brief photo-op at the end of the closed-door meeting.

Obama says so-called green jobs could help the economy and create jobs across the country. He described global warming are not only a problem, but an opportunity.

Aides say a job offer for Gore to join Obama's administration was not part of the discussion.