The United Nations Commission for Sustainable Development’s 16th Session (UN CSD-16) officially was officially opened on 5 May 2008 and will run through to16 May 2008. ICLEI is the official representative for Local Authorities, one of nine official Major Groups that formally participate in CSD-16. In its role, ICLEI represents a range of local governments’ organisations as well as his own 800+ Members. The Delegation is coordinated by Ms Kobie Brand, Regional Director of ICLEI Africa. It includes the following delegates:

* Mayor David Gikaria from the City of Nakuru in Kenya
* Mayor Arba Diallo from the City of Dori in Burkina Faso
* Mr David Cadman, ICLEI’s President and Councillor for the City of Vancouver
* Ms. Hansa Patel, an ICLEI Executive Committee Member from India

Cadman addressed the opening plenary by appealing to National Governments and the International Community to capacitate, resource and support local authorities in addressing sustainability issues they face. He highlighted that more than half of the world’s population now live in cities and over 6 billion people are expected to live in cities by 2050.