G20 leaders to tackle energy prices, other economic woes

Leaders of the Group of 20 countries gathering for their first in-person summit since the pandemic took hold will confront a global recovery hampered by an energy crunch, new COVID-19 outbreaks, and logjams in the supply chains.

The summit will allow leaders representing 80 per cent of the global economy to talk -- and apply peer pressure -- on all those issues. Analysts question how much progress they can make to ease the burden right away on people facing rising prices on everything from food and furniture to higher heating bills heading into winter.

Health and financial officials are sitting down in Rome on Friday before presidents and prime ministers gather for the G20 Saturday and Sunday, but the leaders of major economic players China and Russia won't be there in person. That may not bode well for cooperation, especially on energy issues as climate change takes centre stage just before the UN Climate Change Conference begins Sunday in Glasgow, Scotland.

Here's a look at some of the economic issues facing G20 leaders:

The International Monetary Fund says the top priority for the economic recovery is simple: speed up the vaccination of the world population. Yet big headlines on vaccine cooperation may not be forthcoming at the Rome summit.