G20 summit kicks off in Rome

The Group of 20 (G20) leading industrialized nations begin a two-day summit in Rome on Saturday with climate action and the COVID-19 pandemic set to dominate the talks, Deutsche Welle informs.

The G20 bloc, which includes Brazil, China, India, Germany and the United States, accounts for more than 80% of the world's gross domestic product, 60% of its population and an estimated 80% of carbon emissions.

German caretaker Chancellor Angela Merkel will attend the talks along with US President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, among others. Some other leaders such as Russia's Vladimir Putin and China's Xi Jinping are taking part via video link.

According to Deutsche Welle, as well as the pandemic and its consequences, the ministers are expected to discuss efforts to speed up the global economic recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic, address soaring energy prices and supply chain bottlenecks, which have affected a number of key industries worldwide.