The Crisis Next Time: U.S. Leadership at the Pittsburgh Summit and Beyond

Collective action by the world’s largest economies coordinated through G-20 summits in Washington and London has gone a long way to avert a global economic crisis. But the G-20 is not yet an adequate forum for addressing urgent global problems, and other crises threaten. Will the third G-20 summit, to be held in Pittsburgh later this month, rise to these challenges? How can U.S. leadership make a difference?

CGD president Nancy Birdsall addresses these questions—and offer practical policy suggestions—in a talk titled "The Crisis Next Time: U.S. Leadership at the Pittsburgh G-20 and Beyond."

From the speech:

Today I want to offer two proposals for the G-20 leaders in Pittsburgh to look beyond the current crisis and follow through on their pledge in the London Communiqué to make the global economy green, sustainable, and inclusive. Because the G-20 and other world leader summits are declaring and committing bodies rather than implementing bodies, both of my proposals involve providing instructions to international institutions.

Read more: download the speech