Researcher Ana Saggiro Garcia from BPC/PUC-Rio contributed to an article for The Conversation

BPC/PUC-Rio researcher and UFRRJ professor Ana Saggiro Garcia contributed to an article for The Conversation, addressing the question “G20 in a changing world: is it still useful?”.

In her article for The Conversation, Professor Ana Garcia argued that the G20 is still relevant because it provides a space for debate and coordination. Therefore, yes, the G20 is still useful, but with important caveats.

Created in the late 1990s, the G20 was born to deal with financial crises and manage global capitalism. Today, however, the scenario is different: Geopolitical tensions dominate the debates. Issues such as climate, foreign debt, and the taxation of the super-rich face a lack of consensus.

Nevertheless, the G20 remains one of the few multilateral forums that brings together Western powers (the G7), Eastern powers (China and Russia), major emerging economies (such as India, Brazil, and Mexico), and key actors from the Global South (such as South Africa).

For her, now more than ever, maintaining multilateral spaces is essential. But, to remain relevant, the G20 needs to reinvent itself: it must reflect the demands of societies, not just manage global capitalism. Social rights, environmental protection, and better working conditions should be at the center of its agenda.