Google and Microsoft have both recently launched efforts to tackle online medical records, but have got off to a slow start.

Simple but super-efficient "rocket" stoves, of the type advocated in Manchester by Peter Scott, help tackle all of these problems. They reduce the amount of wood required, taking pressure off forests.

More importantly for Mr Obama, he can now claim back home that he has led the global effort to tackle the global recession while staving off any attempt to pin the blame on the US.