T20 & T7 Knowledge Hub
Welcome to the T20 & T7 Knowledge Hub – your go-to resource for advancing the Think 20 (T20) and Think 7 (T7) initiatives. This hub aims to:
- Document the engagement groups’ histories, strategies, key resources, outputs, and achievements.
- Analyse trends in participation, shifting policy priorities, and changes in the T20’s and T7’s model over time.
- Identify lessons from past experiences to improve the organisation and coordination of the T20 and the T7.
- Provide practical recommendations for future hosts, participants, funders, G20 and G7 governments, and other stakeholders to enhance their impact.
Discover, learn, and help shape the future of global policy collaboration with the T20 & T7 Knowledge Hub.
About the T20
The Think 20 (T20) is one of the G20’s official engagement groups. It is composed of think tanks and research centres or institutes from G20 and other guest countries. The T20 was inspired and motivated by the need to provide research-based policy recommendations to the G20 leaders, fostering a more inclusive and evidence-driven approach to global economic governance. Its establishment reflected the recognition of the critical role that research and evidence-based policymaking play in addressing global challenges and shaping a more sustainable future. It was founded in 2012 during the Mexican Presidency of the G20, inspired by existing engagement groups. Ever since then, thirteen editions of the T20 have been hosted all over the world. Its structure, model and specific activities have changed and innovated, but its overall goal remains unchanged.
Over the years, the T20 has adopted different models. From a single process to discuss and develop recommendations on a smaller set of policy priorities to an increasingly more extensive group of task forces focused on specific issues, from a small group of primarily foreign affairs think tanks to a much larger and diverse set of participants – even from non-G20 countries and university-based think tanks; and from in-person to virtual processes; among others.
At times, T20 hosts have introduced innovations to the process. For instance, the T20 Germany (2017) introduced issue-specific task forces to work on policy recommendations and the T20 Brazil (2024) introduced an effort to translate the recommendations into implementation roadmaps to support their adoption and delivery; the T20 Argentina (2018) and the T20 in China (2016) made an effort to incorporate the views and promote the participation of non-G20 member think tanks.
This initiative consolidates the facts, learnings and recommendations emerging from the process.
About the T7
The Think7 (T7) was first established in 2018, during Canada’s presidency of the G7. The forum is composed by Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Japan, Canada, the United States of America and the European Union.
It was conceived as an official engagement group to bring together leading think tanks and research institutions from G7 countries and beyond. The aim is to provide evidence-based policy recommendations to G7 leaders on pressing global challenges such as climate change, economic resilience, health, technology, and global governance. The T7 convenes annually under the rotating G7 presidency, with the host country’s think tanks coordinating policy task forces and producing communiqués and policy briefs. It involves a wide network of researchers, policy experts, and academics, and often includes participation from non-G7 countries to ensure broader perspectives on global issues.
T20 Fact Sheets (2012-2025)
The pages below detail the T20’s journey through various G20 host countries from Mexico (2012) to Brazil (2023). Each page includes information about the host think tanks, key issues discussed, recommendations made, lessons learned and links to relevant resources, such as the final communiqués.
Were you involved in the organisation of a T20 process? Please get in touch to update or help us create your country page.
This section is a work in progress. We are compiling the information on all T20 editions.
T7 Fact Sheets (2018-2025)
The pages below detail the T7’s journey through various G7 hosts since Quebec, Canada in 2018. Each page includes information about the host think tanks, key issues discussed, recommendations made, lessons learned and links to relevant resources, such as the final communiqués.
Were you involved in the organisation of a T7 process? Please get in touch to update or help us create your country page.
This section is a work in progress. We are compiling the information on all T7 editions.
Opinion and analysis
The following section explores lessons and practical recommendations for future hosts, participants, and funders. They are based on the analysis of past T20 & T7 processes and the reflections of their protagonists.
Resources
The Resources section is a treasure trove of templates, how-tos, blogs, and interviews with participants. It includes:
- Templates and guidelines for organising T20 and T7 events and activities. When something is working maybe it’s best to copy and adapt rather than start from fresh.
- Interviews with key protagonists, offering insights and experiences from those who have played pivotal roles in the T20 and T7 process.
- Additional readings, and links to external resources and further reading materials.
- Contact information of key practitioners in the design and delivery of the T20 and T7.
Key issues and recommendations
This section consolidates recurring themes and recommendations that have emerged across different T20 and T7 cycles. Topics covered include: climate change and sustainable energy, global health and pandemic response, digital transformation, economic growth and inclusivity, global governance and multilateralism, among others.
Each topic page includes detailed recommendations and arguments, reflecting the T20’s and T7’s commitment to addressing global challenges through informed policy action.
This section is under construction.
The T20 and T7 Knowledge Hub is an invaluable resource for anyone involved in the engagement groups. We seek contributions from researchers, policymakers, or participants. If you want to contribute, please write us at [email protected].