WUF4 © Götz

From 3 to 6 November 2008, the United Nations World Urban Forum IV was held in Nanjing, China. The main theme of the Forum was "Harmonious Urbanisation: The Challenge of Balanced Territorial Development".

At the invitation of UN-HABITAT Executive Director Anna Tibaijuka, the President of the Global Parliamentarians on Habitat (GPH), Peter Götz, spoke at the opening session.

Within the framework of the Forum, moreover, a parliamentarians’ roundtable chaired by GPH President Peter Götz was held on the theme "Cities and climate change – the role of parliamentarians". At this roundtable, more than one hundred parliamentarians from all over the world discussed how the future of megacities could be positively influenced by legislation.

At the General Assembly of the Global Parliamentarians on Habitat held on the occasion of the World Urban Forum IV, Peter Götz presented the second part of the comparative study on the implementation of the Habitat Agenda in selected countries. Changes in the leadership of GPH Asia and GPH Africa were discussed and initiated as well.

Moreover, under the chairmanship of newly elected GPH President Peter Götz, the Board of Directors charted the course for the future work of the parliamentarians' organisation.

The majority of today's six billion people already live in cities. By the middle of the 21st century, two thirds of the world population will live in cities. For this reason, it is particularly important to discuss common problems and approaches conducive to sustainable and environmentally friendly urban development.

Like many other countries, Germany was represented by an exhibition stand at the World Urban Forum IV.