Sixty-five leaders, including from Germany, France and Brazil, have already committed to participating in the meeting.

The high-level summit will seek a global treaty on tackling climate change to replace the Kyoto Protocol, whose obligations to cut carbon emissions expire in 2012.

On November 12, the Danish prime minister formally invited the 191 other world leaders from United Nations member states to take part in the key talks which run from December 7-18.

As the leader of one of the world's two biggest polluters, Obama is under considerable pressure from US allies to attend the conference and show flexibility on new emission targets.

That pressure is likely to be renewed Monday, as European Union environment ministers meet in Brussels.

Obama is already scheduled to be close to Copenhagen on December 10, when he will visit nearby Oslo to receive his Nobel Peace Prize.

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