Those talks will cover trade, economic and strategic issues but with climate change again dominating the US political cycle, the environmental challenge is likely to arise.

And that may see Mr Abbott under direct presidential pressure to re-include climate change as a key economic issue on the agenda of the G20 when Australia hosts the premier international economic forum later this year.

Illustration: Matt Golding.

In a significant change of direction, Mr Obama has revealed the world's largest economy is to economically "pivot" to a cleaner energy future, via strict limits on carbon emissions from power generators and through cap-and-trade schemes that will place a commercial price on carbon permits. The US move comes late in Mr Obama's second term, fuelling criticism it is the kind of bold "gesture" out-going presidents engage in.

Both the US and the European Union have previously expressed disappointment at the exclusion of climate policy on the G20 agenda.