G20 china_web

Strengthening the G20 system
23
possible
compliance catalysts
within a commitment
ONLINE
Read G20 compliance reports
at www.g20.utoronto.ca
KAYHAN OZER/ANADOLU AGENCY/GETTY IMAGES
Caroline
Bracht
Co-director of Research
G20 Research Group
macroeconomic policy commitments to
a high degree. They also perform well
on the two health commitments that are
monitored. Their weakest performances
are in the areas of crime and corruption,
international cooperation, trade, climate
change and development.
Possible catalysts
The G20 Research Group has also analysed
whether the presence or absence of
compliance catalysts – words, phrases
or factors that are embedded in and guide
a commitment – increase the likelihood
of compliance.
There are 23 possible compliance
catalysts that can appear within a
commitment. At times, more than one does.
We have found that a reference to a singleyear
timetable in the text of the commitment
has a positive effect on G20 compliance.
However, there are also catalysts that
might interfere with compliance. Setting
a distinct target or goal, identifying a
specified agent or an actor through which
the G20 will work and identifying an
international organisation other than the
core international organisation for the
issue all hinder compliance. Therefore,
to potentially increase G20 compliance,
commitments should be crafted so they
include a single-year timetable and avoid
incorporating a set target or specified agent
or secondary international organisation for
that issue area.
While the G20’s overall average
compliance is moderately high, there is
room for improvement – especially by
the non-G7 members. Several countries
have a long way to go to increase their
implementation. Is their poor performance
because of a lack of experience at summits?
Or is it a lack of willingness to comply that
hinders implementation?
At the Hangzhou Summit, China holds
the pen and has the potential to shape
the narrative in a way that highlights the
perspective of an emerging country. This
may bode well for more implementation
from other emerging economies by the time
of the next summit, hosted by Germany in
Hamburg, in 2017. G20
Caroline Bracht is Co-director of
Research for the G20 Research
Group, the G7 Research Group, the
BRICS Research Group and the
Global Health Diplomacy Program,
based at the Munk School of
Global Affairs at Trinity College
in the University of Toronto. She
has researched and written on
G20, G7/8 and BRICS compliance,
specifically on development,
climate change and energy
commitments. She also leads the
groups’ work on education, social
policy, health and compliance.
@CarolineBracht
www.g20.utoronto.ca
G7G20.com September 2016 • G20 China: The Hangzhou Summit 239