On the eve of the G8 summit in L’Aquila, this workshop examined the various aspects of sustainable development in light of the commitments made by the major economic powers in recent years and current priorities.
The participants took note of the serious overall lack of effective governance, which has been particularly highlighted over the past two decades by the profound transformations that have taken place in the international order – starting with economic growth and demographic trends.
Among the G8 priorities suggested by the participants were the twofold goals of improved accountability, especially to prevent even the most formal commitments remaining mere words on paper, and better rules for what are now truly global markets – even more so following the experience of the economic crisis currently in progress.
The crisis has also revealed the close interrelationship of sectors such as finance, trade, energy, food and health security, the environment, and local crises with military and humanitarian repercussions. This structural interdependence presents an enormous challenge that can not be avoided, directly impacting on the sustainability of the most vulnerable societies (and social strata). At the same time, a pragmatic attitude must be maintained regarding the real political will to seriously pursue long lists of promises. Leaders are well aware of the fact that declarations of intent often run into not just technical and financial problems, but also the rigors of domestic politics and democratic legitimacy. According to some observers and participants in the G8 negotiations, more selective – and what may appear to be less ambitious – choices have a higher probability of producing concrete results.
At least two fundamental issues proved particularly controversial during the workshop discussions. The first of these related to how to go about adapting the format of the summits to a new global reality. Keeping in mind that the G8 is already the natural successor (after two previous incarnations) of an even smaller group and that its informal and pragmatic approach needs to be preserved, the options currently being considered for further enlargement represent a qualitative leap forward. There is, however, an inevitable tension between the need to maintain the effectiveness of summit talks and coordination on the one hand, and the desire to actively involve emerging powers as responsible participants on the other. One point that will in any case require clarification over the coming months concerns the relationship between the G8 and the G20, which has only been partly fleshed out so far.
The second major issue concerns the approach that should be adopted in relation to development. The current approach to international aid is now limited both by serious budgetary pressures stemming from the crisis and by more general doubts that have been raised – even in many countries that have traditionally been aid recipients – regarding the effectiveness and undesirable effects of certain forms of aid.
The participants nevertheless expressed a broad consensus on the importance of not reducing, but rather redoubling, efforts to open up international markets (both in terms of products and investment), whilst fully acknowledging the difficult balance that needs to be struck between two competing priorities, namely: that of controlling emissions of pollutants and of ensuring economic growth rates in line with the great expectations created in recent years, particularly in the major emerging countries.