G8 summit: what is at stake?

U.S. President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama arrive at Rome's Urbe Airport

Climate change and the economic crisis are among the key issues to be discussed by US President Barack Obama and other leaders at the G8 summit in Italy.

The agenda at the three-day summit in L'Aquila, which begins on Wednesday, includes:

CLIMATE CHANGE: G8 leaders are looking to Mr Obama for a new American leadership role in the fight against global warming.

Related Articles

• G8 summit: Obama arrives in Italy

• G8 summit in Italy: live blog

• China riots: president rushes back to Beijing

• Carla Bruni: G8 leaders must invest in Africa HIV treatment

• Obama criticises Kremlin during Moscow visit

• Gordon Brown flies to Italy for G8 Summit

Representing the world's biggest polluters, the strength of the G8 commitment to fight climate change will be critical in persuading major developing countries, such as China, Brazil, India, and South Korea, to sign up to global targets.

European Union and United Nations negotiators are struggling to reach an agreement on global cuts to CO2 emissions in time for a conference in Denmark by the end of the year and progress at the G8 summit is regarded as critical.

Early signs are not good. A draft G8 communiqué has dropped any reference to the goal of halving greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

GLOBAL ECONOMIC CRISIS: G8 leaders will assess progress on banking reforms and measures to increase stability in global markets since Gordon Brown hosted a London G20 summit in April.

Talks will also begin to shape the agenda for reviving the Doha round of word trade negotiations and a second G20 summit, to be hosted by President Obama in Pittsburgh on Sept 24.

FOOD SECURITY AND DEVELOPMENT: Silvio Berlusconi, Italian Prime Minister and the G8 host, has promised cash worth up to £9 billion ($15 billion) to help develop agriculture in poor countries.

But Mr Berlusconi has been embarrassed by criticism following the failure by Italy and other countries to make good on development pledges made at the Gleneagles G8 summit four years ago.

CHINA AND IRAN: G8 leaders are expected to appeal for a peaceful resolution to the conflict pitting Han Chinese against Muslim Uighurs.

Due to the ethnic violence in northwest China, Hu Jintao, the Chinese President, has abandoned the summit and cut short his visit to Italy.

China and Russia will resist moves by Western leaders to push post-election violence and Iran's nuclear programme to the top of the agenda.