Atlantic Community:Tag "G8"

January 13, 2012 | An International Event Calendar for 2012

Editorial Team: Elections and transfers of power look set to dominate world events in 2012. Will Chinese leadership adopt a more aggressive stance? Will Egypt develop into an Islamist regime? Here is a brief look at these and other events likely to shape the new year. Feel free to share any events you think will also be important.

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June 7, 2011 | Style Trumps Substance on Obama's Poland Visit

William C. Fleeson: US President Barack Obama’s trip to Europe this May would suggest a re-commitment to the transatlantic partnership, with special attention given to Poland and US dealings there. But on the issues of symbolic support, Israel and military ties, Obama’s trip revealed that his Poland policy is one more of style than of substance.

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August 11, 2009 | The Myth of Western Decline and G7-OECD Obsolescence

Ira Louis Straus: Despite widespread belief in a decline of the West and obsolescence of G7-G8, the actual statistics show that G7-8 remains overwhelmingly important, both as a vehicle for mutual cooperation and a guide for the world economy. A G14 or G20 could not provide an adequate substitute for it.

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December 18, 2008 | Re-evaluating Economic Governance In the Financial Crisis

Maie-Brit Rüter: As the financial crisis threatens to also become an economic one, the recent Carlo Schmid Network conference left its most lasting impressions on topics addressing the crisis and possible remedial action. The conclusions: the international economic order is in urgent need of revision. Nevertheless, existing institutions should not be thrown out with the bathwater.

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July 17, 2008 | Does the G8 Need a Redesign?

Anna Wojnilko: Changing economic and political realities are forcing the G8 to rethink its goals, mandate, and membership. The debate on the shape of a potential G8 reform divides the political world. Should the G8 be enlarged to include new major international players or contracted to ensure effectiveness? We invite you to vote.

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November 15, 2007 | Beyond Heiligendamm

Katharina Gnath: I laud the ongoing Heiligendamm Process as an important step in involving emerging countries in global economic governance. Five months after the summit, there are still challenges to be met, and the two-year Process is only the first stage in increasing cooperation with China, India, Brazil, South Africa and Mexico.

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July 20, 2007 | G8 Aftermath: Energy, Development, and Enlargement

Memo 2: Members of the Atlantic Community commented and wrote articles on energy and development policy as well as G8 enlargement at the time of the G8 summit.

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June 14, 2007 | Blair's Farewell Breathes New Life Into G8

John Kirton: I report on the diplomatic victories of the 2007 G8 Summit. And I praise Tony Blair for helping to finally bring Bush “into the transatlantic club” on climate change. This year’s achievements on emissions reductions, Africa and security should help to boost the G8’s relevance in a globalized world.

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June 13, 2007 | US and EU Should Cooperate on New Energy Technology

Katherina Reiche: I remind you that the G8 agreement on emission reductions means that all nations will have a part to play in reducing greenhouse gases. The transatlantic partners must work together now - on energy conservation, energy efficiency and renewable energies - to ensure market leadership in the future.

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June 12, 2007 | Flawed G8 Still "Best Show In Town"

Marco Overhaus: I find that the Summit remains a crucial forum for global leadership in a field of few alternatives. How to strengthen the process? More dialogue with NGOs, more accountability, and a streamlined agenda.

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June 8, 2007 | G8 Criticism: Scattered and Hollow

Sylke Tempel: I look at the ever-present globalization bogeyman at the top of this year’s G8 protest agenda. But are concerns justified? Many of the more fuzzy arguments of globalization critics can be easily discarded.

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June 6, 2007 | Bush on Missile Defense, Energy and the War On Terror: "We have nothing to hide"

Klaus-Dieter Frankenberger: of the Atlantic Initiative Advisory Board interviews President George W. Bush just prior to the G8 Summit. The President speaks on US-Russia relations, domestic energy policy, and the criticism he has received from around the world.

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June 5, 2007 | Transatlantic "Climate War" Threatens G8 Summit

Ulf Gartzke: Bush’s last-minute climate change proposal threatens the historic consensus that was to be Merkel’s crowning achievement as G8 president. Is Bush serious about reducing greenhouse gases, or could this be an attempt to sabotage the Summit?

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Global Must Read Articles

July 31, 2009 | Why the EU Fails in a Multipolar World

The financial crisis evoked the necessity of a rebalancing of the global power equilibrium and of Europe’s status in it. ++ “Nowadays, there is both too much and too little Europe”. ++ While European countries are overrepresented in the world’s premier forums, Europe lacks influence, because of its heterogeneity. ++ “The absurdity of Italy’s presence in the

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July 14, 2009 | G8 Is Dead

As a global leadership forum presenting western norms and values, the G8 has failed. ++ The L’Aquila summit showed that emerging economies demand more say at the negotiating table. ++ Former ideals are losing ground to the principle of “common survival”. ++ The focus on water-wastage and rising emission of CO2 rules out previous western core topics such as freedom, democracy and human

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July 9, 2009 | Obama Is G-8's Great White Hope

Expectations are low for the next G-8 meeting, due to “inexcusably lax planning by the host government, Italy, and the political weakness of many of the leaders attending.” ++ If this session is going to justify the time and effort, President Obama will have to lead the way. ++ He did not press hard at the last summit for the sake of international unity, but now he must remind the

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July 6, 2009 | Japan to Propose Priniciples to Assist Food Security

Investment, not charity, is the key to ensuring food security. ++ Japan will make a new proposal to “promote responsible foreign investment in agriculture, in the face of so-called ‘land grabs’ - the growing trend for large-scale investment in farmland across the developing world” at the G8
Summit in Italy on Friday. ++ In the face of an unprecedented threat to food supply, concerned parties

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December 8, 2008 | Europe Must Embrace New World Order

Globalization has rendered the G-8 increasingly insignificant; a new world order is at hand, in which emerging economies and the G-20 will play a key role. ++ Obama’s election will facilitate the reorientation of US foreign policy towards a more global focus. ++ Europe, on the other hand, will continue to find itself increasingly impotent if it does not embrace this strategic realignment. ++ The

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November 21, 2008 | Who Needs the G8 Anyway

In view of the economic crisis rocking the international community, the G8 has lost its right to exist. ++ Emerging nations like India took part in the G20 summit, discussing new finance regulation structures. ++ G8 nations have to understand that in a world where the US economy is highly dependent on the Chinese market, the circle of key players has expanded. ++ Including countries like Brazil

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November 14, 2008 | The West Must Treat Developing Countries as Partners

The financial relevance of the G7 has diminished, from 65% of production in 2002 to 52% now, and will continue to fall. ++ In 2009 all growth will happen in developing nations. ++ The support of China, India, and Brazil is needed to resolve this crisis, and the G20 is the space for solutions. ++ The West is failing on global trade, climate change, and development aid. ++ Progress on the immediate

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October 24, 2008 | Nationalism Trumps Global Economic Cooperation

Financial turmoil has provoked leading nations to recognize the need for economic cooperation, yet fierce nationalism has reared its head amid the calls for global unity. ++ “Economics and finance may be global, but politics is still local.” ++ Western nations seek to retain power in the world system and emerging nations do not wish to yield their sovereignty. ++ Ideally the next US president

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October 21, 2008 | Bretton Woods II

Developing countries are cut off from global prosperity; climate change has decreased the world food supply; and energy shortages often promote environmentally damaging solutions. ++ A Bretton Woods II summit is needed. ++ First, the IMF should have global regulatory financial control; a global tax on carbon emissions can counter human induced climate change; the World Bank should help poor

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October 15, 2008 | China: Rescuer of the Financial Crisis

The monetary meltdown is partly the result of collapsing consumer and business spending. ++ The assumption that banking sytems could be left alone has proven to be false. ++ There needs to be state-financed banking systems. ++ While spending in the West slows, the only way to stop recession is for the Chinese to increase their spending. ++ They hold $2 trillion in reserves that could save the US

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September 23, 2008 | US Bailouts: Socialism is Not the Answer

Washington is bankrupt, fiscally and morally. ++ Socialism is in full swing, proving the free-market Republicans hypocrites. ++ Paulson wants Congress to grant the Fed $700 billion to buy private assets. ++ Such a move will only create more financial turmoil for the US and Europe in the future. ++ Moreover, the entire G8 is a financially “spent force.” ++ Yet, ironically the political landscape

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September 17, 2008 | End the Blackmail of the Strong by the Weak

Oil prices have tripled in the last seven years and if they continue to rise, it may have profound political consequences. ++ Oil-consuming nations shouldn’t become hostages of the oil-producing countries – they must “end the blackmail of the strong by the weak.” ++ Reducing the price of oil by eliminating the speculative pressures behind price rises must be the paramount

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September 16, 2008 | The BRICs Could Crumble After All

For a long time it has been thought that world markets are decoupling, enabling the emerging economies of the BRIC group to thrive regardless of the economic slowdown in the Western world. ++ The emerging countries were predicted to quickly overtake the veterans of the G7. ++ New data, however, seem to puncture that theory. ++ BRICs do not live in an enclosed world, and the credit crunch has had

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September 15, 2008 | Carbon Capture Must be Utilized

In reality there are no means by which to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels before 2050. ++ Therefore, Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) stations are needed to control the amount of carbon that is emitted into the atmosphere. ++ The Group of Eight has endorsed this approach and must now act by building 10 to 20 such stations to test which methods are most secure and effective. ++ Britain must

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September 2, 2008 | It's a Poor World After All

The World Bank recently reported that in 2005 there were 1.4 billion people living below the poverty line - a figure which it had previously underestimated. ++ Still, this figure does not take into account the rising food and energy prices witnessed in the last two years. ++ This new data only stresses the necessity for aid stemming from developed countries, particularly the G8. ++ Having

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September 1, 2008 | NATO's Georgian Mistake, Not to be Repeated

NATO’s failure to provide Georgia and Ukraine with a concrete Membership Action Plan was a grave mistake, as demonstrated in part by recent events in Georgia. ++ Both NATO and the EU, the latter meeting today to discuss circumstances in Georgia, must avoid further empty promises, and instead pursue concrete action. ++ The West should not isolate Russia, i.e., exclusion from the G8, but must

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August 26, 2008 | US Should Give up on Solving Georgia Crisis

There is little the United States can do to help Georgia. ++ Russia, with its nuclear weapons, oil, dollar reserves and seat on the UN Security Council, has too much leverage on US foreign policy, so banishing Russia from the G8 would be unwise. ++ The US should lessen their dependence on Russian energy and aim to get Russia to cooperate, not provoke obstinacy. ++ Russian troops should be

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July 25, 2008 | The G8 Leaders Must "Get Their Act Together"

There are four main problems that deepen the world crisis: incoherence of American leadership, lack of global financing, lack of contact between scientific experts and politicians, and finally the fact that the G8 ignores the UN and the World Bank — institutions offering the best hope to tackle global problems. ++ The Group of Eight summits have turned into photo opportunities and illustrate the

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July 18, 2008 | The G8 is Losing Relevance

We live in a global economy, yet we have no effective system to manage a global economy. ++ The G8 leaders like to think they can handle global challenges such as global warming. ++ Yet, the dispute between industrial and emerging market economies regarding cutting emissions showed the G8’s lack of efficiency. ++ There are different proposals for redesigning the G8; one suggestion is to

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July 17, 2008 | Steinmeier on "Responsible Sovereignty"

Responsibility and cooperation are key terms in the 21st century. ++ “Responsible Sovereignty” means members of the international community should share responsibilities, maximize the opportunities, and minimize the risks brought about by the changed international situation. ++ An enlargement of the G8 to a G13 could stimulate a fresh approach to global governance. ++ In the future, the

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July 16, 2008 | Helpless Multilateralism

In the era of globalization, there is no alternative to multilateralism. ++ But multilateralism can only function with an accepted leadership and within institutions which are capable of acting. ++ Both the G8 and the security council do not include all of today’s important powers. ++ The G8 is loosing influence and should be a group of 14 or 16 members. ++ Industrial countries have to offer

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July 15, 2008 | Clean Technology Fund to Tackle Climate Change

The Clean Technology Fund - a multilateral initiative developed by the G8 and the World Bank -, would help reduce greenhouse gas emissions by financing the use of clean technology in developing countries. ++ CO2 emissions of developing economies will soon exceed those of the developed ones. ++ Only advanced technology can help emerging economies curb their emissions growth without affecting

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July 11, 2008 | Cowboy Diplomacy and Climate Change

Bush’s “cowboy diplomacy” is changing the way the world addresses climate change. ++ The new G8 document reflects the approach of the White House since 2002. ++ For the first time, the G8 acknowledged that progress will depend on technological advancements and that any climate program requires the involvement of countries like China and India. ++ It also recognized that

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July 11, 2008 | G8 on Climate Change: Promises Are Not Enough

G8 group agreed to cut green house emission by 50 percent. ++ But the final agreement establishes no interim goals that would require prompt and meaningful investments in cleaner energy. ++ China and India made clear that it is the developed world who contributed the most to the man-made emissions and who therefore must do most of the heavy lifting. ++ Scientists believe that cuts of at least 25

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July 10, 2008 | G8 Meeting: No Progress at All

The G-8 summit seemed more interested in harmony than in making progress on pressing issues. ++ G8 agreed to cut emissions by “at least” 50 percent, but the old conflict regarding the question who should start retained. ++ Farming subsidies in the Western as well as the massive failures of monetary policy, both responsible for the current food crises, were not even mentioned. ++ G8 remains a club

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July 9, 2008 | Financial Aid is Not the Answer to Africa's Problems

Financial aid will not solve the problem of food security in Africa. ++ Western succor is the main source of revenue for corrupt sub-Saharan African governments. ++ An effective way to help the Africans is to remove the trade barriers that cripple the development of their economy. ++ World Bank figures reveal that removing taxes and tariffs on agricultural goods and fertilizers would bring Africa

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July 8, 2008 | Global Nonpolarity: A New World Order

Globalization means that international affairs no longer occur in a bipolar, unipolar, or even multipolar world, but rather “under conditions of nonpolarity.” ++ In this nonpolar world, coordination between actors is increasingly difficult, and agreements are rarely reached. ++ The problem of Iran, currently Israel’s top concern, will unlikely motivate the international community to act in

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July 7, 2008 | G8 Should Grant China and India Full Membership

Leaders who will gather in Hokkaido are ill-positioned to address the challenges of climate change and global economic slowdown. ++ G8 meetings will remain inadequate as long as China and India are not granted full membership. ++ Candidacies of Brazil, South Africa, and possibly an Islamic state should also be considered, however, if the group expands too much it might loose its greatest value -

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July 7, 2008 | Let's Make it the G3

The G8 format is unwieldy, ineffective, and unable to deal with global challenges. ++ The G8 has proven bigger does not necessarily mean better; admitting new countries has turned the meetings into a “giant public relations exercise with little real point.”++ An often suggested expansion of the body to a G13 or a G20 would completely destroy the opportunity for effective, informal

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June 30, 2008 | The Danger of a League of Democracies

Senator McCain’s call for a “League of Democracies” would be a danger rather than an aid to world peace. ++ With both Russia and China excluded, the league would be unable to combat the most pressing global matters: terrorism, climate change, and nuclear proliferation. ++ McCain’s plan could even create a Cold War-like tension between democratic and autocratic states. ++ The League of Democracies

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June 2, 2008 | The Future of the G8: From "Library Group" to G13?

Over the last few years, the annual G8 summits have attracted more attention than ever before in the history of this group of states originally known as the “Library Group.” The rise in power of Brazil, China or India sparks heated debates regarding the duties of the G8, whether it is equipped to accomplish them, and if not, which reforms are now necessary. Today’s global economic order confronts

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May 30, 2008 | US Must Lead the Global Climate Change Initiative

The climate change bill currently being debated in the US Senate is paramount for actual, sustainable improvement. ++ Not only for the sake of the environment, economies have recently experienced that innovation and emissions reduction can be quite lucrative. ++ In this spirit, one can expect the entrepreneurial character of the US economy to deliver a new age of greener policy and consumption.

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May 29, 2008 | G8 Adopts a Cooperative Approach to Climate Change

At this year’s G8 summit, the focus will be convincing big emitters (China, US) and developing countries to commit to the Kyoto protocol. ++ Making attractive proposals to encourage emission cuts and highlighting their benefits in terms of energy consumption and pollution reduction will require diplomatic leadership. ++ As part of environment ministers’ Kobe initiative, a sector-specific approach

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May 8, 2008 | Foreign Policy: McCain Aims High but Misses the Mark

John McCain’s recent neoconservative foreign policy proposals are of questionable merit. ++ Reorganizing the G8 to the exclusion of Russia and China, will effectively render the organization irrelevant. ++ A League of Democracies on the other hand will impede cooperation with key nondemocratic strategic allies in areas such as terrorism and proliferation. ++ These propositions also put McCain at

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April 29, 2008 | Russo-Japanese Relations Are Improving

Japan and Russia’s planned cooperation in fields of energy, transportation, and the environment require settling their territorial dispute. ++ So as to expand its influence in the booming Asia-Pacific region and maintain its volumes of energy exports, Russia may cede sovereignty of the northern islands to Japan. ++ Successful negotiations would enable crucial collaboration on North Korea

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April 24, 2008 | International Institutions Are in a Crisis of Confidence

While the most global threats like climate change or terrorism are at an impasse, the existing international institutions do not provide the needed framework for their solving. ++ They do not reflect the real distribution of economic and military power and ignore the needs and interests of developing countries. ++ To overcome mutual mistrust, G8 und G5 should be combined into one grouping.

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