It's easy to question the fanfare, expense, and security disruptions that come with hosting world leader summits like the G-8 and G-20. But it’s hard to imagine what the world would be like if these leaders didn’t meet at a common table where they can confer with their peers, build collegial relationships, and focus their governments on shared challenges.

The truly important questions being asked as Canada hosted the twin summits of the G-8 and G-20 focused on three areas:

• What is the role of the G-8 and G-20? How can these groups withogut any permanent structure help achieve progress on global challenges?
• Are the right issues being included on the agenda to make the best use of all this top-level attention?
• And should the more inclusive G-20 be tackling additional political and security challenges beyond the global economy?

The Stanley Foundation has a long history of working on global governance issues and examining these questions. Three foundation staff members, Keith Porter, David Shorr, and Sean Harder, attended the 2010 G-8 and G-20 Summits in Canada. Please take a look at these resources:

• Pressure on G-20 Economies to Back Up Lofty Rhetoric, from The New York Times (quoting David Shorr)
• G-20 Leaders Recognize Shared Stake in Global Challenges, from David Shorr
• The G8 and UN Security Council Reform, from David Shorr (via Centre for International Governance Innovation)
• Achievements at G20 summit overshadowed by challenges ahead, from People's Daily (quoting David Shorr)
• Protests hit Toronto as G20 kicks off, from Russia Today (features interview with David Shorr)
• G20 Leaders Pledge to Cut Government Deficits, from Voice of America (quoting David Shorr)
• US Perspective on Debt Reduction, from BNN (features interview with David Shorr)
• Three Leading Views on the G8 and G20 Summits in Canada, from Diplomatic Courier (features joint document from the Stanley Foundation, Centre for International Governance Innovation, and China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations)
• Expectations and Results from the 2010 G8/G20 Summits, from David Shorr (via YouTube)
• G Summit preview video (part one), from David Shorr (via YouTube)
• G Summit preview video (part two), from David Shorr (via YouTube)
• A Bigger Table, A Broader Agenda, from David Shorr
• The Group of 20: Is it really large enough?, from The Globe and Mail (quoting David Shorr)
• G20 Summit Should Focus On More Than Just Economic Issues, Says Expert, from Talk Radio News Service (quoting David Shorr)
• Shift from G8 to G20 begins in Toronto, from DPA (quoting David Shorr)
• The Future Role of the G-8 Global Partnership: Combating Weapons of Mass Destruction, from Ambassador Bonnie D. Jenkins
• Leadership and the Global Governance Agenda: Three Voices, from Alan S. Alexandroff, David Shorr, and Wang Zaibang
• Challenges in Global Governance: Opportunities for G-x Leadership, from Alan S. Alexandroff
• Making Multilateralism Work: How the G-20 Can Help the United Nations, from Bruce Jones
• The United Nations and the G-20: Ensuring Complementary Efforts, a report from the 41st United Nations Issues conference
• Global Governance Reform: An American View of US Leadership, from Stewart Patrick
• The Rise of the G-20, Courier 66, Spring 2010

Stanley Foundation staff members were also on-site for the G-20 in Pittsburgh and the 2009 G-8 in L'Aquila, Italy. See those resources here.

Also see these resources from Stanley Foundation staff and friends:

• Post-Toronto Summit Reflections, by David Shorr (via Democracy Arsenal)
• Experts Disappointed by Failure to Extend G-8 Global Partnership, from the Fissile Materials Working Group
• Common Interests, Clashing Interests, by David Shorr (via Democracy Arsenal)
• Summits! Summits!! SUMMITS!!!, by David Shorr (via Democracy Arsenal)
• We're Going to Need a Lot of Statesmanship, from David Shorr (via TPM Cafe)
• China the Part-Time Global Leader, from Alan Alexandroff
• The Rising BRICSAM blog, from Alan Alexandroff
• WMDs and the G8, from Richard Weitz (via The National Interest)