Th e 5th Urban Research Symposium was co-organized by the World Bank, the
French Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development, Transport and Hous-
ing (MEDDTL), and the French Development Agency (AFD). Th e sympo-
sium’s Steering Group included Abha Joshi-Ghani, Mila Freire, and Daniel
Hoornweg of the World Bank; Aude Vermot-Gaud and Anne Charreyron-
Perchet of MEDDTL; and Nils Devernois and Laureline Krichewsky of AFD.
Th e symposium’s Scientifi c Committee comprised Yves Crozet, Mila Freire,
Pierre-Noel Giraud, Bernd Hansjuergens, Sylvy Jaglin, Andrew Norton, and
William Solecki.
Th e symposium Secretariat was led by Jean-Jacques Helluin and Perinaz
Bhada at the World Bank. Many World Bank colleagues provided helpful com-
ments at every stage during the symposium’s development, from the initial con-
cept note review through to the symposium itself. Excellent organizational and
administrative support for the symposium was provided by Adelaide Barra,
Viviane Bernadac, Louis Blazy, Laura de Brular, Vivian Cherian, Xiaofeng Li,
Maria Eugenia Quintero, and Berenice Sanchez. Th anks also go to Zoubida
Allaoua and Kathy Sierra of the World Bank, and to Robert Peccoud and Vero-
nique Sauvat at AFD, for their guidance and leadership.
Th e institutional and strategic partners who generously contributed to
the symposium included the French Environment and Energy Management
Agency (ADEME), Caisse des Dépôts, the Cities Alliance, the Dexia Group,
the Euromedina Urban Network, the European Commission, the Fonds Fran-
çais pour l’Environnement Mondial (FFEM), the French Ministry of For-
eign Aff airs, GDF Suez S.A., the German Federal Ministry of Education and
Research, the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the German Company for
Technical Co-operation (GTZ), ICLEI (Local Governments for Sustainability),
Institut des Sciences et des Techniques de l’Equipement et de l’Environnement
Acknowledgments
■ ix