Last week before the Summit of the Americas, I wrote about how U.S. President Barack Obama should use the opportunity to promote a hemisphere wide carbon cap and trade partnership effort.

President Obama greets Costa Rica's President Oscar Arias at the 5th Summit of the Americas

While the news from the Summit predictably focused on Cuba-U.S. relations and the interactions between Obama and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, the Environment News Service suggests that Obama took my advice (or that of someone else), with a more general focus on promoting joint clean energy development and environmental initiatives. Here's what they say:

Obama proposed a new Energy-Climate Partnership of the Americas. "This is a voluntary and flexible partnership that nations across this region are invited to join; a partnership that will enhance energy efficiency, improve our infrastructure, and support investments that can make energy more affordable," the President said. "In doing so, we can create the jobs of the future, promote renewable sources of energy, and make the Americas a model for cooperation."

"Through this partnership," he told reporters, "we will harness the progress being made by nations across the hemisphere - from Brazil's work on biofuels, to Chile's investments in solar power, to Mexico's efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions, to El Salvador's work on geothermal energy."

Good work Obama. I think you've made a good step forward in making some incremental efforts toward building environmental partnerships throughout the Americas.

If you are interested in some of the more interesting articles to come out of the Summit of the Americas press coverage, here's what I recommend in addition to the Environment News Service article.

• Slate's piece on Daniel Ortega's campaign to become the U.S.'s least favorite Latin American leader
• The Huffington Post's gallery of photos, cleverly named "Summit Like it's Hot: See Who Wore What this Weekend"

Image: www.whitehouse.gov