U.S. and China sign climate change pact

U.S. State Department and Chinese officials signed a pact today to work together to cut down on greenhouse gas emissions by promoting environmentally-friendly technologies.

The U.S. and China are the two leading emitters of greenhouse gases in the world. While the deal is almost entirely symbolic because it contains few specific details, the fact that the two countries can agree on this is a good thing as the U.N.-led climate change negotiations approach later this year. At the negotiations, countries from around the world will meet in Copenhagen in an effort to form a treaty to succeed the Kyoto Protocol.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had this to say of the pact: "[The agreement] provides our countries with direction as we work together to support international climate negotiations and accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy."