Skip to content
  • About
  • Partner with Us
  • Indonesia
  • Subscribe
  • Log In
Primary Menu
  • Home
  • Latest
  • Topics
  • News
  • Brief
  • Interview
  • Opinion
  • Figure
  • Infographic
  • Video
  • Community
  • Partner
  • Press Release
  • Youth
  • Global
  • Featured
  • Soft News

SDG Progress in the Asia-Pacific Is Off-Track

The SDG progress in the Asia-Pacific is significantly off-track, with slow progress, regression, and data gaps.
by Kresentia Madina March 12, 2025
a ‘loading’ text with progress bar below it

Photo: Mike van den Bos on Unsplash.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were adopted as the blueprint to achieve peace and prosperity for people and the planet. In 2025, ten years after its adoption, the SDG progress in the Asia-Pacific is far from where it should be.

Off-Track SDG Progress

The Asia-Pacific region is home to around 4.3 billion people. With over half the world’s population, progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals can be incredibly challenging, especially considering the region’s extensive energy consumption and high vulnerability to disasters.

According to the “Asia and the Pacific SDG Progress Report 2025” published by the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), the SDG progress in the Asia-Pacific region is off-track. Progress towards several goals remains too slow, namely, Goal 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), Goal 4 (Quality Education), and Goal 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth).

Under Goal 8, the region sees  declining labor force participation due to an ageing population and youth unemployment, as also mentioned in the International Labour Organization’s WESO Trends 2025 report. Meanwhile, increasing fossil fuel subsidies perpetuates unsustainable production and consumption patterns, taking steps away from Goal 12 and contributing to a highly alarming regression on Goal 13 (Climate Action). Additionally, Asia-Pacific continues to suffer from a high disaster toll despite progress in developing disaster risk reduction strategies.

Improvements and Remaining Gaps

Still, positive progress occurs. The report notes development in Goal 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) and Goal 3 (Good Health and Wellbeing), supported by the expansion of digital infrastructures and networks. For instance, Thailand has rolled out a universal healthcare program based on digitalization and health data integration to expand accessibility.

Significant improvement is also observed in maternal, infant, and child health, demonstrating the benefits and gains of targeted investments and effective policies. However, the report also finds a crucial gap in data availability that hinder SDG progress.

“…data gaps persist in critical areas, particularly in gender equality (Goal 5) and peace, justice, and strong institutions (Goal 16). Furthermore, there is still a lack of disaggregated data—by migratory status, disability, sex, and location—which limits our ability to fully understand and address the diverse needs of populations,” said Ms. Lin Yang, Deputy Executive Secretary of UNESCAP.

Partnerships for Transformation

A systemic transformation will be imperative to accelerate progress toward achieving Sustainable Development Goals. For instance, bridging the data gap will require leveraging community partnerships to understand the conditions on the ground better. Furthermore, strong political leadership, substantial investment, and strong partnerships between governments, businesses, and civil society are also the building blocks of this transformation.

“As we look to the future, we continue to find signs of hope in our shared and enduring commitments, our interconnectedness, and our strength through regional cooperation,” wrote Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, the Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of ESCAP. “Across Asia and the Pacific, new partnerships and creative approaches offer hope and actionable pathways to overcome the most persistent challenges.”

Read the full report here.

Editor: Nazalea Kusuma


Subscribe to Green Network Asia
Strengthen your personal and professional development with cross-sectoral insights on sustainability-related issues and sustainable development across the Asia Pacific and beyond.
Select Your Subscription Plan
Kresentia Madina
Kresentia Madina
Reporter at Green Network Asia | Website |  + postsBio

Madina is the Assistant Manager for Digital Publications at Green Network Asia. She graduated from Universitas Indonesia with a bachelor's degree in English Literature. She has three years of professional experience working on GNA international digital publications, programs, and partnerships particularly on social and cultural issues.

  • Kresentia Madina
    https://greennetwork.asia/author/kresentiamadina/
    Comprehensive and Participatory Drought Monitoring for Improved Disaster Mitigation
  • Kresentia Madina
    https://greennetwork.asia/author/kresentiamadina/
    The Role of Risk Communication for Better Disaster Preparedness
  • Kresentia Madina
    https://greennetwork.asia/author/kresentiamadina/
    How the City of Umeå Addresses Gender Inequality in Urban Areas
  • Kresentia Madina
    https://greennetwork.asia/author/kresentiamadina/
    Implementing Integrated Approach to Strengthen Resilience in South Africa

Continue Reading

Previous: Exploring the Impacts of Disasters on Education
Next: Addressing the Challenges in Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) Implementation

Related Stories

Close-up of seedlings growing in pots How India’s National Agroforestry Policy Helps Tackle Land Degradation and More
  • Exclusive
  • Featured
  • Soft News

How India’s National Agroforestry Policy Helps Tackle Land Degradation and More

by Attiatul Noor June 20, 2025
The rapid development in AI technologies must be supported with AI regulation to ensure responsible usage. Establishing AI Regulation to Support Responsible Tech Usage
  • Featured
  • Soft News

Establishing AI Regulation to Support Responsible Tech Usage

by Ayu Nabilah June 19, 2025
a wilted sunflower Comprehensive and Participatory Drought Monitoring for Improved Disaster Mitigation
  • Exclusive
  • Featured
  • Soft News

Comprehensive and Participatory Drought Monitoring for Improved Disaster Mitigation

by Kresentia Madina June 18, 2025
multiple megaphones attached on a pillar The Role of Risk Communication for Better Disaster Preparedness
  • Exclusive
  • Featured
  • Soft News

The Role of Risk Communication for Better Disaster Preparedness

by Kresentia Madina June 17, 2025
two hands joining puzzle pieces Indonesia-UN Collaboration to Support Job Creation and Social Protection
  • Exclusive
  • Featured
  • Soft News

Indonesia-UN Collaboration to Support Job Creation and Social Protection

by Abul Muamar June 16, 2025
a photo of Umea town landscape. How the City of Umeå Addresses Gender Inequality in Urban Areas
  • Exclusive
  • Featured
  • Soft News

How the City of Umeå Addresses Gender Inequality in Urban Areas

by Ayu Nabilah and Kresentia Madina June 13, 2025

About Us

  • GNA Founder’s Letter
  • GNA In-House Team
  • GNA Author Network
  • GNA Press Release Guidelines
  • GNA Op-ed Article Guidelines
  • GNA Community Content Guidelines
  • GNA Internship
  • Contact Us
  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy
© 2021-2025 Green Network Asia