The Energy Department is partnering with several countries in Latin America on clean energy initiatives. Its projects include helping Carribbean nations establish an electricity system that spans the whole region and developing biomass resources in Colombia.

The Environmental Protection Agency is pairing up with the Asian Development Bank to strengthen environmental standards in Asian countries. Top officials from each agency signed a letter of intent that says they will work together through 2015 to improve air quality, ensure safe drinking water and manage toxic substances, among other points. According to the letter, EPA's priority areas in this agreement are China, India and Indoesia.

The Energy Department made available almost $40 million in funding over the next five years to support the U.S.-China Clean Energy Research Center, which Obama formally announced on a trip to Beijing in November.

Speaking at the U.N. climate change summit in Copenhagen, Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced that the U.S. will take part in an international effort to deploy $350 million worth of clean-energy technology in developing countries. It's a five-year effort and includes $85 million in U.S. funds.

During his first trip to Asia as president, Obama forged agreements with the leaders of both China and India to work collaboratively on clean energy technology research. Both accords include initiatives for research centers -- to be funded by both public and private funds -- that will help develop clean energy technology.

Energy Secretary Steven Chu told the House Science and Technology Committee that the U.S. may impose trade tariffs on carbon-intensive imports to "level the playing field" with countries that don't have carbon caps. It was the first public airing of the administration's view on the trade and diplomatic implications of greenhouse-gas-reduction mandates.

In a joint news conference with Obama, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced a clean-energy partnership to develop "science, and technologies that will reduce greenhouse gases and combat climate changes." While talk of harmony on the issues is "really premature," Harper said the plans include carbon capture and storage and improvement of North America's integrated electricity grid.

In an interview with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Obama emphasized the need for countries to collaborate on technology and programs needed to protect the environment. "Canada, the United States, China, India, the European Union," he said, "all of us are going to have to work together in an effective way to figure out: How do we balance the imperatives of economic growth with very real concerns about the effect we're having on our planet? And ultimately I think this can be solved by technology." He also called energy policy one of the most "promising areas for not just for bilateral but also trilateral cooperation" among the U.S., Canada and Mexico.