The US climate change envoy has stated that he still believes the Copenhagen accord offers the best way to approach an international agreement.
Speaking to an investor meeting at the United Nations, Todd Stern said: "We have an accord that is lumbering down the runway and we need to get enough speed so it can take off," according to the Guardian.
He added that the coming 12 months will be "critical" to the development of a legally binding treaty.
Mr Stern stressed that the US will push for an agreement "that is going to have the capability to actually help us solve the problem", the news provider reported.
Last month, world leaders met in Copenhagen for the UN Climate Change Summit.
On the final days of the conference, heads of state battled to hammer out an accord.
The deal included an agreement that global temperature rises should be limited to two degrees C and pledges from developed countries to create a $100 billion (£61.18 billion) fund to help poorer nations cope with climate change.
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