London, England -- The rich industrialised countries -- supposed democracies -- meeting in St. Petersburg are either incapable or unwilling to implement solutions likely to matter. There is one proposal, however, they ought to discuss that could make a difference: Abolish the G8 itself and create a properly representative body instead.
But surely, you might object, those eight countries are the world's big shots? Not really. Think of any issue they might want to discuss. Israel-Palestine? Though the eight matter in the conflict, none of the big frontline states in the Middle East is there: not Saudi Arabia, not Egypt. Nuclear energy and weapons proliferation? You'd need India and China present for a serious discussion of that. North Korea? You'd need China, of course. Capital flows, the world economy, energy security? Again, you'd need China, India and Saudi Arabia at the very least. Environment, climate change? I rest my case.
Some of those countries do send their leaders to the G8 meetings these days, but they are not party to the full discussions; they are there essentially for bilaterals, banquets and photo opportunities. This needs to change, and urgently. The world is changing, with power more dispersed as emerging countries well, ahem, emerge, and as more of those countries play a crucial part in global issues.
So here is the agenda item for the G8: Abandon these costly annual charades and replace them with a larger, broader grouping that has to be the G20 or so. It will be unwieldy and will find it hard to make decisions. Sounds just like the G8. At least G20 will involve everyone that matters.
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