The 47th G7 Summit held in Carbis Bay, Cornwall, UK (June 11-13, 2021) — the first in-person gathering of world leaders since the pandemic began, focused on vaccines, climate, and containing China.

The Attendees

G7 Leaders:

• Joe Biden (USA) — his first G7 as president
• Boris Johnson (UK) — host
• Emmanuel Macron (France)
• Angela Merkel (Germany) — her last G7
• Mario Draghi (Italy)
• Justin Trudeau (Canada)
• Yoshihide Suga (Japan)

Guests: EU, Australia, South Korea, South Africa, India (virtual)

The Agenda

1. COVID-19 vaccine distribution

• Pledged 1 billion doses to poorer nations
• Critics called it insufficient (need 11 billion globally)

2. Climate commitments

• Reaffirmed Paris Agreement goals
• Pledged to end coal financing

3. China challenge

• First G7 statement on Xinjiang (Uyghur forced labor)
• Countering Belt and Road Initiative with “Build Back Better World” infrastructure plan

4. Corporate tax reform

• Agreed to 15% global minimum tax for corporations

The Optics

“America is back”: Biden’s message — contrast to Trump’s G7 chaos (2018 tariff threats)

The beach BBQ photo-op: Leaders awkwardly socially-distanced on Cornish beach

Queen Elizabeth cameo: Biden met the Queen at Windsor after the summit

The Protests

Extinction Rebellion, Greenpeace, and anti-capitalist groups protested in Cornwall:

• “G7: Greenwash 7” banners
• Calls for vaccine patent waivers
• Criticism of elite hypocrisy (private jets to a climate summit)

The Outcomes

Vaccine pledge: 1 billion doses promised, delivery slow and uneven

Corporate tax deal: Eventually implemented in 2023 (OECD framework)

China strategy: Symbolic but lacked enforcement mechanisms

Climate: Recommitment to Paris goals, but emissions cuts still insufficient

The Aftermath

The summit was seen as a return to multilateralism after Trump’s unilateralism. But the gap between promises and action remained wide.

Angela Merkel’s last G7: After 16 years as German Chancellor, this was her final appearance. The end of an era.

Sources

• G7 Carbis Bay Communiqué (June 13, 2021)
• White House briefings June 2021
• BBC, Guardian Cornwall coverage
• COVAX vaccine distribution data
• OECD global tax framework updates