Washington embraces Copenhagen accord

WASHINGTON, Feb. 17 (UPI) -- Washington looks forward to discussing the framework of a climate accord from a summit in Copenhagen despite controversial scientific data, officials said.

World leaders gathered in Copenhagen, Denmark, for two weeks in December to find a comprehensive agreement to replace the expiring Kyoto Protocol. Participants agreed to "take note" of an accord that relays a desire to limit global temperature increases. There was no concrete agreement on how to achieve that goal, however

Todd Stern, the U.S. special envoy for climate change, said the accord was an "important document" because of its recognition of the need to limit global warming, fund green energy technology and include language on transparency.

Climate issues came under fire when the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change said in January it made errors in reports saying the Himalayan glaciers could melt away by 2035, which the U.N. body used in its 2007 data on the impacts of climate change.

Nevertheless, Stern said the Copenhagen accord includes "important stuff" needed to make the elements of the measure operational.

The United Nations hosts climate talks in Germany in June. World leaders resume their climate talks in Mexico City in late 2010.