Test Your Knowledge of the G7

The International Group of Seven (G7) is an intergovernmental political forum consisting of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States, with the European Union as a non-enumerated member. G7 members account for over half of global net wealth, 30 to 43 percent of global gross domestic product, and 10 percent of the world's population. The G7 has no legal or institutional basis and is organized through a rotating presidency with the presiding state setting the group's priorities and hosting and organizing its summit. Russia was a formal member of the group from 1997 to 2014, but its membership was suspended in 2014 in response to its annexation of Crimea, and it announced its permanent departure in 2017. There have been various proposals to expand the G7, with some analysts proposing the D-10 Strategy Forum, a similar forum made up of the G7 and the next 13 largest economies, as an alternative to the group. The G7 has spearheaded several major global initiatives, including efforts to combat the HIV/AIDS pandemic, provide financial aid to developing countries, and address climate change through the 2015 Paris Agreement. The G7 has faced several geopolitical challenges that have led some international analysts to question its credibility, or propose its replacement by the G20, but it has continued to take a strong stance against Russia's "destabilizing behavior and malign activities" in Ukraine and elsewhere around the world. After the G7 meeting in Berlin in May 2022, the climate, energy and environment ministers made a new pledge to decarbonize electricity sectors.G7 leaders committed to decarbonizing their electricity systems by 2035 and phasing out coal power generation but did not give a deadline for the latter. The decision was prompted by the Russo-Ukrainian War and will be proposed to the wider G20 group. The G7 comprises the seven wealthiest advanced countries, which represent over 60% of the world's net wealth. The G7 summit is held annually in June or July and is organized by the member state holding the presidency. The G7 has been criticized for the exclusion of Russia following the annexation of Crimea and for protests questioning the legitimacy of the group's decision-making power. The 2018 summit was marked by arguments over tariffs and the reinstatement of Russia, while the 2019 meeting saw the group pledge $20m to help South American countries fight wildfires.