As anti-globalisation activists took to the streets in Hamburg ahead of this week's G20 summit, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said leaders will have to focus on sustainable and inclusive economic growth rather than their own prosperity.
In her weekly podcast, Merkel said this year's G20 summit will delve into issues championed by protesters such as distribution of wealth and consumption of resources - alongside related issues like climate change, free markets, consumer protection and upholding social standards.
Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull will be attending the summit.
Hamburg police said 10,000 demonstrators marched peacefully in the rain in Hamburg on Sunday in a prelude to the July 7-8 gathering, where 21,000 police from across Germany will protect the meetings of the world's 20 largest economies.
It was the first of 30 registered demonstrations this week. Some carried banners reading "Fight poverty", "stop coal" and "Planet earth first".
German authorities are bracing for trouble, worried the protests could turn violent as they did outside a G8 summit in Genoa, Italy in 2001 when one person was shot dead and hundreds injured.
"It's not only going to be about (economic) growth but rather sustainable growth," Merkel said.
"We've got to have a 'win-win' situation for everyone. The issues obviously revolve around: how do we achieve inclusive or sustainable growth?"
Merkel, seeking a fourth term in a September 24 election, outlined the issues as: "What are we doing with our resources? What are the rules for distribution of wealth? How many people are taking part? And how many countries are able to profit from that?
"If we simply try to carry on as we have in the past, the worldwide developments will definitely not be sustainable and inclusive," she said.
"We need the climate protection agreement, open markets and improved trade agreements in which consumer protection, social and environmental standards are upheld."
In a speech to parliament last week, Merkel promised to fight for free trade and press on with multilateral efforts to combat climate change at the summit, challenging the "America First" policies of US President Donald Trump.
The German Federal Crime Office warned that violent G20 opponents could carry out arson and sabotage at infrastructure targets such as the Hamburg harbour and airport, newspaper Welt am Sonntag said on Sunday.
