The 2026 G7 Summit is being held in Évian-les-Bains, France, from June 15 to 17.
It brings together the leaders of the United States, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, France, Italy and Canada.
When it was created in 1975, the G7 brought together the world’s seven leading democratic powers. Fifty years later, what remains of its influence on the global stage?
In 1980, the G7 accounted for 61.4% of global GDP. By 2025, that share had fallen to 43.8%.
The decline is even more pronounced when the United States is excluded: without it, the combined share of the six other G7 members in global GDP has fallen from 36.1% to just 18.2%.
The loss of influence is also evident in military affairs. In 1980, G7 countries accounted for 65.6% of global military spending; by 2025, that share had fallen to just 47.6%.
Even demographically, the decline is clear: the G7’s share of the world’s population has fallen from 13.7% in 1980 to 9.6% today.
Below is the evolution between 1980 and 2026 of the G7’s weight in the world in terms of population, GDP and military spending:
| G7 Countries | ||
| 1980 | 2026 | |
| Population (millions) | 608.5 | 792.2 |
| Share of World Population | 13.67% | 9.64% |
| GDP (US$ bn) | 6933 | 55322 |
| Share of Global GDP | 61.41% | 43.80% |
| Military Spending (US$ bn) | 241.62 | 1372.8 |
| Share of Global Military Spending | 65.59% | 47.55% |
And the evolution of the G7’s weight excluding the United States:
| G7 Countries Excluding the United States | ||
| 1980 | 2026 | |
| Population (millions) | 380.89 | 443.15 |
| Share of World Population | 8.56% | 5.39% |
| GDP (US$ bn) | 4073 | 22938 |
| Share of Global GDP | 36.08% | 18.16% |
| Military Spending (US$ bn) | 97.94 | 418.8 |
| Share of Global Military Spending | 26.59% | 14.51% |
One Positive Development: The Decline in the G7’s Share of Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Driven by the combined effects of deindustrialization in some economies, gains in energy efficiency, and environmental policies implemented over several decades, the G7’s share of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions fell from 44.83% in 1980 to 20.33% in 2025:
| Share of Global GHG Emissions | ||
| 1980 | 2025 | |
| Canada | 2.28 % | 1.38 % |
| France | 2.65 % | 0.68 % |
| Germany | 5.67 % | 1.48 % |
| Italy | 1.99 % | 0.78 % |
| Japan | 4.89 % | 2.49 % |
| United Kingdom | 2.98 % | 0.81 % |
| United States | 24.37 % | 12.71 % |
| G7 Countries | 44.83 % | 20.33 % |
| G7 Countries Excluding the United States | 20.46 % | 7.62 % |
Sources:
– G7 | Wikipedia
– Trends in World Military Expenditure | SIPRI
– GHG Emissions Database | EDGAR
– EDGAR_2025_GHG_booklet_2025.xlsx
– GDP, Current Prices 2026 | IMF
– GDP PPP, Current Prices 2026 | IMF
– Share of Global CO₂ Emissions | Our World in Data
– SIPRI-Milex-data-1949-2025_v1.2.xlsx
