TOPICS & PANELS
Objectives pursued in the selection of these topics:
Identify strategic goals that will lead to significant improvements in global institutions and global public goods over the medium-term and long-term. The objective of our initiative is to not duplicate the Think 20 work (which is seen as more incremental and short-term).
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Develop pragmatic ideas that advance the G20 agenda in 2016 and beyond.
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Be realistic about political feasibility within the G20; i.e., identify windows of opportunity that can be acceptable to the major actors, including the US.
Panel 1: Uncovering Structural Impediments to Growth and Fostering Innovation [Venue: Qiu Shi Hall]
The panel will discuss the possible structural sources of the currently “mediocre” global growth, including issues of global uncertainty, risk, and volatility. Solutions will be discussed, including the possible creation of a study group.
Chair:
GUO Sujian, Director, Environmental and Energy Policy Center, Zhejiang University.
Panel 2: Regional and Global Trading System: the Way Forward [Venue: Qi Zhen Hall]
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The panel will discuss ways in which the global trading system can be buttressed and consolidated, including bridges between bilateral and regional FTAs. What measures can the G20 take to enhance collective trust and incubation of new agreed norms in the global trading system?
Chair:
Yuen Pau WOO, Senior Fellow in Public Policy, Institute of Asian Research, UBC; Distinguished East Asia Fellow, Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada; Senior Resident Fellow, Beedie School of Business, Simon Fraser University.
Panel 3: Sustainable Development and Infrastructure [Venue: Qi Zhen Hall]
This panel will discuss how the recently adopted Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) can be successful monitored and implemented, including the role that the OECD and UNDP can play, as well as other ways to have credible monitoring mechanisms. The panel will also focus on the issue of the global infrastructure financing gap and how new and old MDBs can support each other in addressing that gap.
Chair:
Colin BRADFORD (TBD)
Panel 4: the Future of the Global Monetary System and the Role of the RMB [Venue: Qiu Shi Hall]
The panel will discuss the ongoing SDR reforms in the IMF and internationalization of the RMB. The goal is also to prepare the right collective information resources and institutions for a future multi-currency system. Could the G20 mandate a long-term oriented study group?
Chair:
Andrew COOPER,Professor, the Balsillie School of International Affairs and the
Department of Political Science, University of Waterloo; Associate Senior Fellow, Centre for Global Cooperation Research.
Panel 5: International Financial Reforms- the Next Stage [Qiu Shi Hall]
This panel will review international financial institutional reforms (IMF, FSB) and how to increase the resilience of the global system against a potential future financial crisis. Attention will be given to the issue of consolidating the currently diverse and fragmented safety nets and to ongoing reforms of the IMF.
Chair:
Robert KAHN, CFR
Panel 6: Ecological Governance [Qi Zhen Hall]
The goals of this panel are to develop concrete initiatives to follow up on the December 2015 climate summit, such as:
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Spreading best practices in ‘Cap and Trade’ systems and examine carbon tax models; advance the thinking on developing a credible price signal as incentive for unleashing higher level of R&D on non-Carbon energy sources.
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Give space to the network of leading green cities;
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Develop incentives through issue linkages to trade or other areas;
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Buttress the global information-sharing and governance of energy for the
benefits of all;
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Advance incentives to phase out inefficient energy subsidies without hurting
the poor.
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Advance ideas on green financing
Chair:
Stewart PATRICK, CFR