12/06/2020 - International Relations

Aradhana Tiwari 4 years

The world is in a state of disorder. The global economy has stalled and COVID-19 will inevitably create widespread distress. Nations need a revival of multilateralism, for they have been seeking national solutions for problems that are unresolvable internally.

A new mechanism like - The Group of Seven (G7) - an informal bloc, serves as a forum to discuss issues such as global economic governance, international security, and energy policy.

The G7 has not been successful with respect to contemporary issues, such as the ;

- COVID-19 pandemic: They have failed to perform vigilance functions through WHO.

- Climate change: The G7 countries account for 59% of historic global CO2 emissions (from 1850 to 2010) but has not yet announced any plan of action to phase out all fossil fuels and subsidies.

- The challenge of the ISIS : Three of the G7 countries, France, Germany, and the U.K., were among the top 10 countries contributing volunteers to this terrorist organisation.

- The crisis of state collapse in West Asia : due to external intervention (particularly by US) has led to largest refugee crisis in recent times.

- Crisis of 2007-08 : The G7 failed to head off the economic downturn of 2007-08, which led to the rise of the G20- which has "provided a degree of confidence, by promoting open markets, and stimulus, preventing a collapse of the global financial system".

- Economic circumstances : When constituted, the G7 countries accounted for close to two-thirds of global GDP. However, they now account for less than a third of global GDP on a PPP basis, and less than half on MER basis.

Hence, above all circumstances necessitate change in composition of G7, else it will lose its relevance. The G7 is “divided, ineffectual, and more of a source of displaying the weakness and disunity” of its members than a forum to resolve global issues.

>>> Way Ahead :

- Expansion of G7 : In the form of G10 or G11 such that it will have value only if it focuses on key global issues.

- Rule of law : There is a need to push for observing international law and preventing the retreat from liberal values.

- Global public health and the revival of growth and trade in a sustainable way (that also reduces the inequalities among and within nations) which is a huge challenge needs to be addressed effectively by the new international mechanism.

- Prepare for future pandemic: An immediate concern is to ensure effective implementation of the 1975 Biological Weapons Convention.