Sustainable urban development is one of the key global challenges of our time. Today, more than half of the earth’s population lives in cities; this share is expected to grow to 75% by the middle of the century. Providing adequate urban infrastructure to meet growing demand while addressing issues such as resource efficiency, climate change mitigation, environmental protection and social inclusion are essential to capitalize on the economic growth potential of cities and to improve overall social welfare.
In order to provide a platform for dialogue and exchange of knowledge and practical experience on this topic, the KfW Development Bank commissioned adelphi with the design, organisation, and implementation of the "Sino-German Dialogue Forum on Sustainable Urban Development: Infrastructure Solutions in Key Urban Sectors".
The one-day Dialogue Forum was co-hosted by the German Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the Ministry of Finance of the People's Republic of China and took place on 22 September 2015 in Beijing. The international conference highlighted the long-standing cooperation between the two countries and brought together more than 250 prominent Chinese and German policymakers with professionals, researchers, and financial experts to share and discuss the innovative concepts, programs and solutions currently emerging from Sino-German cooperation on sustainable urban development.