Business Green: In the build up to the G20 conference at the start of April, fear was spreading that, as the economic downturn hit home, countries would retreat into protectionism and inward dialogue, leaving world trade to sputter and economic growth to stall. As the G8 conference in L’Aquila, Italy, approaches, it seems that protectionism has largely been kept at bay, but it is sure to be an agenda topping item for the world’s most powerful leaders. Alarmingly, there have been suggestions that …