The G8 System And The G20

The Group of Eight has become a central actor in global governance with a steadily expanding role and agenda. The leaders' summits remain at the apex of the G8 system, but the leaders' work is complemented by intensifying and expanding networks of ministerial fora as well as various task forces and expert groups. Some of these entities, initially launched by the leaders, have taken on a life of their own with an agenda that diverges from the main concerns of the summits. Following on from Hajnal's acclaimed book The G7/G8 System, this volume discusses the origins, characteristics, evolution, role and agenda of the G7 and G8 system, including a systematic survey of its components. It introduces the major debates about the G7 and G8, looks at proposals to reform the G8-G20 and provides a detailed study of the complex, elusive and changing patterns of documentation of the broader G8-G20 system, including electronic information.

The Group of Eight has become a central actor in global governance with a steadily expanding role and agenda. The leaders' summits remain at the apex of the G8 system, but the leaders' work is complemented by intensifying and expanding networks of ministerial fora as well as various task forces and expert groups. Some of these entities, initially launched by the leaders, have taken on a life of their own with an agenda that diverges from the main concerns of the summits. Following on from Hajnal's acclaimed book The G7/G8 System, this volume discusses the origins, characteristics, evolution, role and agenda of the G7 and G8 system, including a systematic survey of its components. It introduces the major debates about the G7 and G8, looks at proposals to reform the G8-G20 and provides a detailed study of the complex, elusive and changing patterns of documentation of the broader G8-G20 system, including electronic information.

If the growing demand for global governance breathed new life into the established G7/8 and the more recent G20, it raised questions about the evolving and optimal relationship between them. One answer arose from the G20’s third summit, when it proclaimed the G20 would govern global finance and economics, while the old G8 would focus on development and security. Yet this rough division of labour did not address which issues lay within each category and how interconnections would be addressed to create comprehensive, coherent global governance for a complex world. This volume considers these questions. It explores the summits’ performance, the division of labour during their coexistence, their comparative strengths and limitations, and how the future partnership could be improved to benefit the global community. The authors explain the recent evolution and performance of the G8 and G20 summits and their evolving empirical relationship. They consider the G8/G20 relationship with other actors engaged in global governance, notably the major multilateral organizations and civil society. They assess G7/8 and G20 effectiveness and accountability. And they identify, based on this empirical and analytical foundation, how the relationship can be improved for today’s tightly wired world.

This important book is an authoritative work of reference on the G20, G8 and G20 reform, and relevant information sources. Peter Hajnal thoroughly traces the origins of the G20, surveys the G20 finance ministers' meetings since 1999 and the series of G20 summits since 2008. He examines agenda-setting and agenda evolution, discusses the question of G20 membership and surveys the components of the G20 system. He goes on to analyze the relationship of the G20 with international governmental organizations, the business sector, and civil society and looks at the current relationship between the G8 and the G20. He also discusses how G20 performance can be monitored and evaluated. The book includes an extensive bibliography on the G20, G8/G20 reform, and issues of concern to the G20. The book is a companion volume to The G8 System and the G20: Evolution, Role and Documentation (Hajnal, 2007) and is an essential source for all scholars and students of the G20.

The G7/G8 and the G20 have become central actors in global governance, with steadily evolving structure and agenda. The leaders' summits remain at the apex of the G7/G8 and G20 systems but the leadersâe(tm) work is complemented by expanding networks of ministerial fora as well as various task forces and expert groups. Following on from Hajnal's acclaimed book The G8 System, the original edition of this volume appeared in 2007. Much has happened since in the world of the G7/G8, notably the emergence of the G20 at the leadersâe(tm) level in 2008 and the reversion (temporary or otherwise) of the G8 to G7 in 2014. This second edition tracks recent developments and adds further discussion and analysis of the G7/G8 and its relationship to the G20, with a bibliography of additional sources.

This important book is an authoritative work of reference on the G20, G8 and G20 reform, and relevant information sources. Peter Hajnal thoroughly traces the origins of the G20, surveys the G20 finance ministers' meetings since 1999 and the series of G20 summits since 2008. He examines agenda-setting and agenda evolution, discusses the question of G20 membership and surveys the components of the G20 system. He goes on to analyze the relationship of the G20 with international governmental organizations, the business sector, and civil society and looks at the current relationship between the G8 and the G20. He also discusses how G20 performance can be monitored and evaluated. The book includes an extensive bibliography on the G20, G8/G20 reform, and issues of concern to the G20. The book is a companion volume to The G8 System and the G20: Evolution, Role and Documentation (Hajnal, 2007) and is an essential source for all scholars and students of the G20.

This revised and updated edition presents detailed analysis of the history and current state of the G20, and the challenges it faces. The emergence of the G20 was the result of calls for full inclusion of major developing and other systemically important countries and to reflect new global economic and political realities. The growth of Chinese power, growing significance of other major developing countries and new concerns concerning anti-globalization and rising protectionism in the West have all resulted in important changes to the dynamics of the institution. The suspension of Russia’s membership in the G8 has also necessitated a change in G7/G20 dynamics and the G20’s processes, agenda priorities and role in global governance. Providing a historical overview and analysis of the evolving agenda, methods of performance evaluation, relationship with structured international organizations and other external actors, Hajnal’s text is an authoritative work of history, analysis and reference on the G20 and also G7/G8/G20 reform. This book is an essential source for researchers and students focusing on the G20, international organizations and global governance, and more generally for scholars in the fields of political science, economics, and finance.

An eminent international line up of experts in law, political science, economics and history examine the dynamics of the European Union's (EU) development as a collective member of the G8 and G20. Each contribution provides a methodical and much needed insight into the external and internal factors influencing this evolvement process, the options for these institutions to reform and collaborate and the future role of the EU in this new system of institutions. Part One makes an introduction into the topic of the EU representation in the G8 and the main concepts explored in the book. Part Two presents an analytical framework for exploring the EU actorness in global governance institutions. Part Three examines the transformation of the G7/G8 system, the emergence of the G20 as a leader's forum and the EU role in the process. Part Four provides an in-depth analysis of the EU contribution to critical cases of global governance including issues of energy, finance, development, peace and security. Part Five analyses the main trends in leadership and models of engagement. Contributing to key contemporary debates, this book is a lucid replenishment to the existing literature on global governance and an excellent resource to studying the EU's role as a global actor.