Think tankers as policy entrepreneurs: Influencing the G20 via the T20

To adequately account for the interlinked and interdependent nature of today’s polycrisis, think tankers need to act as “policy entrepreneurs" so that they can respond with agility in their analysis and recommendations. Being part of an international network like the Think20 (T20) – an official engagement group of the Group of 20 (G20) nations – is an effective and timely way to get your ideas on the table.  

The G20's "idea bank"

T20 members are connected to a global network of experts from think tanks, research institutes and universities from G20 and non-G20 countries. They build partnerships to expand their research activities, involve diverse voices in policymaking, and draw insights from interacting with G20 engagement groups (e.g. Youth20, Women20) to develop targeted and holistic recommendations.

The T20 is the G20’s “idea bank” - the government holding the G20 presidency mandates one (or several) of its national think tanks to steer this process. The lead think tank creates task forces aligned thematically with the presidency’s policy priorities. It tasks national think tankers to organize discussions and draft research-based solutions together with other national and international think tankers. The T20 delivers its communiqué, based on these recommendations, to the G20 head – like the G20 Sherpa – to inform G20 working group recommendations and the final leaders’ declaration.

Benefits of engaging in the T20

There are many incentives for think tanks to engage in the T20 process. Its activities and networks offer opportunities for them to hone their policy recommendations, lending their advisory role greater credibility and expanding their policy influence. Sustained and consistent engagement in the T20 also allows think tanks to develop a long-term perspective on G20 issues. They can monitor and track developments across presidencies and thus deliver more refined analyses. 

Establishing regular touch points with the G20 Sherpa allows T20 think tankers to better understand the priorities and needs of policy makers and design targeted policy recommendations. Platforms like the annual Global Solutions Summit in Berlin allow various G20 engagement groups to connect with other stakeholders, discuss issues, and make the decision-making process more effective. 

Increasing Your Policy Influence on Policy: T20 Strategies

Four strategic actions can help think tankers in the T20 take a more entrepreneurial approach:

Action 1:  Align your think tank’s research activities with T20 priorities and processes

G20 decision-makers are interested in solutions to the problems they are working on now, so it helps to align your research with G20 priorities. Think tanks should also synchronize research and outreach activities with the T20 presidency's timeline to identify windows of opportunity. This enables engagement with active G20 communities (e.g. Youth20, Women20) and timely contributions to current debates. 
Collaborative research is key. Activate the voices of stakeholders from business, civil society and policy/public sectors to verify the feasibility of policy recommendations in practice. Generate synergies and experience the amplification of individual efforts into collective, action-oriented strategies. Chiara Rosselli and Rebecca Farulli make excellent suggestions on designing spaces to foster collaboration. 

Action 2: Bring diverse experiences to the discussion

Only when diversity of thought and experiences are purposefully brought into policy discussions can think tankers design socially appropriate recommendations. Think tankers need to offer suitable platforms for multistakeholder dialogue so innovative ideas and critical thinking can flourish.
Indonesia helmed the G20 in 2022 and India in 2023; Brazil has taken over in 2024 and South Africa will do so in 2025. More non-G20 countries have been invited to participate in T20 and G20 processes to promote broader dialogue. Think tankers can address the need for stakeholder diversity by tapping into existing global think tank networks (e.g. Council for Global Problem-Solving and Southern Voice). 

Action 3: Invest in unconventional research output and products

To design evidence-based policy briefs, think tankers need to invest in their research and data analysis competency. Aside from solutions, think tankers can contribute meaningfully by playing a “fact-checking” role. Policy briefs that evaluate past policy actions and strategies add depth to T20 recommendations. Presenting complex arguments in a concise, impact-driven paper is a practiced skill. Read From ivory tower to solving real-life problems to dive deeper into this.   

Beyond policy briefs, think tankers should explore inventive ways to package their knowledge products to reach a wider audience. For example, think tankers can extend their policy brief efforts by engaging with national governments and acting as strategic advisors and cooperation partners. In this case, you should be prepared to adjust your recommendations to account for real-world complexities. 

Action 4: Engage beyond the research community

Scientific papers alone won’t move public perceptions. Often, people who used to work in politics or business join think tanks in various capacities. They bring their rich and extensive network to influential communities of practice. Leveraging these contacts, think tankers should create formats for regular dialogue that engages practitioners. 

Most, if not all, think tankers already use a mix of traditional and new media to connect with these communities. An online presence is arguably a necessity today, and think tankers need to flexibly adapt their messages to their target audience. Think tanks need to invest in developing their researchers’ communication skills or even develop a media department to manage this. Tailored messages are key to reaching different audiences (e.g., journalists, policymakers, academics, the general public). Katy Murray has tips for effective communication.

While these strategic actions are aimed at increasing your influence as a think tank within the T20, they can also be transferred to other networks and contexts. They help think tankers effectively develop policy-relevant research strategies and impact real-life policy processes. 
 

Yamunna Rao is a senior program manager and currently leads the GSI's work on agriculture. She coordinated the program for the 2024 Global Solutions Summit. Yamunna joined GSI in 2021. Prior to that, she completed her master’s in public policy at the Hertie School in 2020, with a research focus in digital governance. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the National University of Singapore and a postgraduate diploma in education from the National Institute of Education (Singapore).