In Dhaka, Bangladesh, children play in an area outside their home that has been turned into a huge dump of leather industrial waste. (Data map)
The latest report released today by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) shows that at the current pace, the region will not be able to achieve all 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2062, which would be 32 years behind expectations of 2030.
This is the eighth progress report issued by ESCAP since the establishment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015, with the participation of eight other UN agencies.
Progress is grossly inadequate
The report shows that progress in implementing the 2030 Agenda remains insufficient in the Asia-Pacific region: by 2023, halfway through the agenda, the region has achieved only 17% of the progress needed, and is projected to achieve only one-third of the required progress by 2030.
According to the analysis, the unfavorable global environment has contributed to this sluggish performance. In the wake of the devastating consequences of the pandemic, ongoing crises and conflicts are disrupting global supply chains and creating uncertainty.
There is a rollback on climate action targets
The report also notes that progress on the goals in the Asia-Pacific region has been uneven. Progress has been made in Goal 1 (No Poverty) and Goal 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), while Goal 13 (Climate Action) has seen the most progress.
To this end, ESCAP has emphasized in particular that the integration of strong climate action measures into national policies, strategies and plans should be a top priority for countries in the region at this time.
Country and population differences
The report also shows that there are also significant differences in achieving the SDGs between countries and populations. Small island developing States, in particular, face significant challenges and are therefore in the greatest need of support.
In terms of gender differences, women and girls face significant challenges in accessing education and employment opportunities, while men's challenges are mainly related to health or personal security;
Use data to drive policy improvements
ESCAP indicated that, despite the slow progress made in the region as a whole, the strategies implemented by individual countries were commendable. These initiatives, which strengthen data systems and policy implementation, will help accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals, while improved data management capabilities and data quality will drive policy improvements.
China's 2020 population census, for example, provided a valuable resource for child-focused analysis and assessment of disaggregated data against multiple SDG indicators. In addition, the Philippines' specific research and analysis of the costs of supporting children with disabilities has also influenced a recent piece of legislation that has decided to expand support for children with disabilities by providing disability benefits.
In addition, the report shows that data is being used for climate change adaptation and mitigation, biodiversity conservation, building digital skills, reducing child labour, preventing child marriage, and better measuring the number of stateless people.
There are still data gaps
The report also highlights that while data availability has improved, the process of such improvement is slowing and significant data gaps remain. For example, data to measure Goal 5 (gender equality) and Goal 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) are insufficient.
However, Asia-Pacific countries have demonstrated a strong commitment to making better use of their available data. In 2023, nearly half of the countries conducting VNRs included relevant SDG indicators in their progress dashboards.
