US President Donald Trump has taken aim at "perennial prophets of doom and their predictions of the apocalypse" and challenged world leaders to be more optimistic about the economy and climate change.

In a highly anticipated address to the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, Trump also avoided any provocative language that risked escalating disputes with Europe and China in a signal that global trade wars could take a back seat as America barrels towards presidential elections in November.

US President Donald Trump at the World Economic Forum.Credit:AP

"This is not a time for pessimism. This is a time for optimism," Trump told the crowd of elite political leaders, business figures, and climate campaigners, including Greta Thunberg.

"Fear and doubt is not a good thought process because this is a time for tremendous hope and joy and optimism and action.

"But to embrace the possibilities of tomorrow, we must reject the perennial profits of doom and their predictions of the apocalypse. They are the heirs of yesterday's foolish fortune tellers. I have them, you have them, we all have them and they want to see us do badly but we don't let that happen.

"These alarmists always demand the same thing: absolute power to dominate, transform and control every aspect of our lives. We will never let radical socialists destroy our economy, wreck our country or eradicate our liberty."

"In America, we understand what the pessimists refuse to see: that a growing and vibrant market economy focused on the future lifts the human spirit and excites creativity strong enough to overcome any challenge."

Climate activist Greta Thunberg in the audience for US President Donald Trump’s speech.Credit:Bloomberg

Trump's criticism of "predictions of the apocalypse" appeared to be a swipe at Thunberg, the young Swedish climate activist who headlined a section of the summit titled, 'Averting a climate apocalypse'.

Trump talked up America's green credentials and pledged to join a global initiative to plant one trillion trees.

"We are committed to conserving the majesty of God's creation," he said.

Thunberg said the world was not moving fast enough to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

"Planting trees is good, of course, but it’s nowhere near enough of what needs to be done, and it cannot replace real mitigation or rewilding nature," she said.

"From a sustainability perspective, the right, the left as well as the centre have all failed. No political ideology or economic structure has been able to tackle the climate and environmental emergency and create a cohesive and sustainable world. Because, in case you haven’t noticed, that world is currently on fire."

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