At first glance, it is a summit in the sign of unity.

There is the announcement from Berlin that Chancellor Angela Merkel will take her presumed successor Olaf Scholz, who as finance minister is already present at the meeting in Rome, with her to the bilateral talks at her last summit.

On Friday only pictures show the American President Joe Biden with a beaming Pope Francis - in contrast to his meeting with Donald Trump in 2017. Later, the American and French President's demonstrative reconciliation in the dispute over the failed submarine deal follows .

It has been clarified what had to be clarified, says Emmanuel Macron.

You should now look to the future.   

Sofia Dreisbach

Editor in politics.

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At the meeting of the heads of state and government of the group of the twenty most important industrialized and emerging countries (G 20) this weekend in Rome, key issues for the future are at stake: the fight against the corona pandemic and climate protection.

"It is great to see you all here again after some difficult years for the world community", Italy's Prime Minister Mario Draghi opened the first of three working groups on Saturday.

Not only had the pandemic separated one another, protectionism, unilateralism and nationalism had also previously been struggled with.

Italy as a role model for the world

Italy, which holds the G-20 presidency, is, along with America, a reason why many are looking at the summit with optimism: Draghi has been able to push back the right-wing populists and initiate reforms since February, and the former is enjoying himself internationally as well Great reputation as head of the European Central Bank. Again and again at the summit it is relieved to hear that the difficult times with the challenges of populism have eased in both the United States and the EU.

"Multilateralism is the best answer to the problems we are facing today," says Draghi, "and often the only one." Going it alone is not an option when it comes to fighting pandemics, climate change and fair taxation. "We have to do everything we can to resolve our differences," Draghi urges the heads of state and government. The international community must rekindle the spirit that led to the founding of the G20.

But despite all the unanimity that has been sworn, there are major differences among the participants on the topics that will be negotiated at the summit. Two of the countries with which there are the greatest disputes, especially when it comes to climate issues, are not represented by their presidents: Xi Jinping from China and Vladimir Putin from Russia can only be switched on via video. The official reason is the pandemic. But Russia's relationship with the West has hit a new low following the closure of the Russian mission to NATO.

A first draft for a final communiqué of the G 20, which was circulating before the weekend, disappoints climate protectors.

It is true that “immediate action” is called for in order to limit global warming to less than two degrees.

But concrete measures are not mentioned, and the economic powers, which together are responsible for more than eighty percent of greenhouse gases, cannot agree on a date for climate neutrality: India does not want to set a time target, China will only become climate neutral by 2060, the EU aims for the year 2050.

They only agree on the “central importance” of achieving climate neutrality by the middle of this century.