Nepal sees some progress, experiences slow progress and regression in others in SDGs

Nepal has seen some progress in areas such as sustainable urban expansion and spatial data generation for various indicators (including 11.2.1-Urban access to public transport, and 11.3.1-ratio of land consumption rate to population growth rate, and 11.7.1-measures the share of land allocated to public spaces and the total population with access of these spaces by age, gender and disability)

However, there are areas where Nepal is experiencing slow progress and regression, particularly in achieving food security and combating undernourishment (Goal 2) and reducing inequalities within and among countries (Goal 10), according to a UN report.

The report published by the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) also underscores the importance of addressing these challenges and customising strategies to address specific issues in Nepal.

Despite improvements in data collection, significant data gaps still exist, it reads, adding that gender equality (Goal 5) and peace, justice and strong institutions (Goal 16) continue to have the least available data. "This report assesses Nepal’s SDG progress at the global level indicators; and we should be careful interpreting this report in relation to the SDG Report of the Government of Nepal that uses nationalised indicators to assess the SDG progress."

The report -- published today -- also provides an overview of current progress towards the SDGs in the Asia-Pacific region.

Progress on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) remains uneven and inadequate across various segments of the population and within the five subregions of Asia and the Pacific, according to the report published by the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) today, gender and location remain key factors in determining levels of poverty and inequality in the region.

“While additional efforts are required across the board, granular data emphasizes the urgency of addressing inequalities that impact marginalized groups, including women, girls, rural populations and the urban poor, who continue to find themselves locked out of education and employment opportunities,” underscored United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of ESCAP Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana.

“Equally, the sustained progress gap revealed between countries in special situations, especially Pacific small island developing States, and the rest of the region demands a concerted response from international, regional and national partners,” added Ms. Alisjahbana.

The Asia and the Pacific SDG Progress Report 2024 takes a closer look at groups that may be disadvantaged, focusing on how sex, urbanization, education level, age and income contribute to existing disparities and sometimes exacerbate them.

Despite overall progress in school enrolment rates, women and girls in the region continue to face considerable challenges when it comes to accessing education and employment opportunities. They have lower enrolment rates and struggle with literacy. Young women also encounter difficulties accessing labour markets, leading to higher rates of youth unemployment. Meanwhile, the challenges faced by men tend to be related to their health or personal safety. They suffer from higher rates of suicide, chronic diseases and road traffic deaths.

People living in rural areas face pronounced disadvantages, such as limited access to basic drinking water and sanitation facilities. Additionally, the lower availability of clean cooking fuels in these areas contributes to serious respiratory diseases. In general, urban areas exhibit better conditions, yet paradoxically, within these areas, the poorest boys and girls face significant hurdles in completing upper secondary education.

At its current pace, the report further highlights that the region will not achieve all 17 SDGs before 2062 – marking a significant 32-year delay. While positive steps have been taken toward eliminating poverty (Goal 1) and bolstering sustainable industry, innovation and infrastructure (Goal 9) in the region, progress in other critical areas has been more modest. Efforts towards mitigating hunger (Goal 2), enhancing health and well-being (Goal 3), ensuring the availability of clean water and sanitation (Goal 6), expanding affordable and clean energy (Goal 7) and building sustainable cities and communities (Goal 11) have been less pronounced and require heightened attention.

On a more encouraging note, the report shares several laudable national success stories on supporting at-risk population groups. In the Philippines, dedicated research and analysis aimed at estimating the cost of supporting children living with a disability played a pivotal role in influencing recent legislation to provide a disability allowance, extending support to children with disabilities. Nationwide digital training programmes in Viet Nam have underscored the value of public-private partnerships in accelerating digital transformation and bridging the skills and employment gap for youth and migrant workers. Meanwhile, in North and Central Asia, national statistical systems in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan have been upgraded to better support stateless populations.

An annual publication produced by ESCAP, the Asia and the Pacific SDG Progress Report uses the latest data for global SDG indicators to determine where additional effort is needed in the region and where momentum for future progress is building.

Preparing for complex, overlapping crises key to building resilience for countries in Asia and the Pacific

Countries meeting today at the seventh session of the ESCAP Committee on Disaster Risk Reduction were called on to intensify their efforts to prepare for and tackle complex, overlapping crises as the region strives to increase the resilience of its people as well as its economies.

"Notwithstanding the progress made by many countries in devising more robust systems of early warning and responsive protection -- with far fewer people dying as a result of natural disasters -- the Covid-19 pandemic has demonstrated that  almost without exception, countries around the world are still ill-prepared to deal with multiple overlapping crises, which often cascade, with one triggering another,” United Nations under-secretary-general and executive secretary of ESCAP Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana said, adding that tropical cyclones, for example, can lead to floods, which lead to disease, which exacerbates poverty.

Since the start of the pandemic, the region has been hit by multiple natural and biological disasters. At the same time, climate change has continued to warm the world, exacerbating the impacts of many of these disasters. The Asia-Pacific Disaster Report 2021, also launched today, reveals that the pandemic, combined with the persistent reality of climate change, has reshaped and expanded the disaster 'riskscape' in Asia and the Pacific.

The triple threat of disease, disaster and climate change is causing not only considerable human hardship but also significant economic losses. Currently, the annual average disaster-related losses are $780 billion. It could nearly double, to around $1.4 trillion, in a worst-case climate scenario, it reads, adding that choosing a proactive strategy of adapting to natural and other biological hazards would be far more cost-effective at an annual cost of $270 billion.

In her statement during the opening session, the special representative of the United Nations secretary-general for Disaster Risk Reduction Mami Mizutori voiced support for the Committee’s work and reiterated the need for immediate and decisive action to build disaster resilience.

"The string of record-breaking weather events show that we do not have the luxury of ‘waiting this out’: action must be taken now to address these risks,” she said, adding that it includes increasing international funding for disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation, especially for countries graduating from the least-developed category.

Also speaking at the opening session, the secretary-general of the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) Petteri Taalas emphasised the importance of climate change mitigation efforts. "All in all, successful climate mitigation doesn’t affect our everyday life very much,” he said, “but if we fail with climate mitigation the impact is going to be felt for centuries, even millennia."

The final speaker at the opening session, the secretary-general of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Houlin Zhao highlighted the need for countries in Asia and the Pacific to make progress on digital transformation.

"It’s time for the Asia-Pacific region to rely even more on Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs),” he said, adding that he is confident that countries in the region will access the unique opportunity presented by Covid-19 to accelerate digital transformation and leverage the historic role of ICTs in tackling the dual challenges of climate-related disasters and Covid-19.

Today also saw the return of the ESCAP Regional Conversation series, with a Ministerial Panel on Disaster, Climate and Health Resilience. This was the first in a series of four events that will bring together eminent personalities and thought leaders to exchange ideas and solutions to some of the key challenges facing Asia and the Pacific.

In her remarks, Alisjahbana highlighted the need to build universal resilience to address the vulnerabilities the pandemic has exposed and to tackle rising levels of inequality and poverty. She called for a paradigm shift in disaster risk management toward a focus on investing in prevention and the building of resilience.

Achieving an equal future for women in Asia and the Pacific in the post-Covid-19 era

 A dialogue among women leaders in the Asia-Pacific region to mark International Women’s Day (IWD) 2021 highlighted the need for governments to continue their efforts to promote and ensure equal participation and representation of women in decision-making in the region.

Held under the IWD 2021 theme, ‘Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a Covid-19 world,’ the event organised by the United Nations (UN) Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the UN Women Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (ROAP) provided a virtual platform to share experiences, and recognise the tremendous efforts by women and girls in the region in shaping an equal recovery from Covid-19.

A joint report launched at today’s event by ESCAP and UN Women The Long Road to Equality: Taking stock of the situation of women and girls in Asia and the Pacific for Beijing+25: A synthesis report, shows that, although levels of women’s representation in the region have increased, uneven progress, both within countries and regionally, indicates that achieving gender equality in decision-making is a significant challenge in Asia and the Pacific.

"Without the active participation of women and the incorporation of women’s perspectives at all levels of decision making, the goals of equality, development and peace cannot be achieved,” said UN under-secretary-general and executive secretary of ESCAP Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana. "Within the context of Covid-19, it is now more important than ever to transform discriminatory gender-based social norms, legal frameworks and institutional structures."

"The effective representation of women in public life and decision-making needs to be recognised, not only as being of intrinsic value, but also as the primary way through which decisions, institutions and financing will become gender-responsive,” said UN assistant-secretary-general and UN Women deputy executive director Anita Bhatia.

This year’s IWD theme echoes the priority theme of the upcoming 65th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, ‘Women's full and effective participation and decision-making in public life, as well as the elimination of violence, for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls,’ and the flagship Generation Equality campaign.

Participants at the regional event included representatives of governments, the diplomatic community, the UN system, other international organisations, civil society organisations, academia, and youth groups.

UNESCAP launches TINA3.0

 The United Nations (UN) Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) today launched the latest update of its Trade Intelligence and Negotiation Adviser (TINA), an online tool designed to assist trade policymakers and researchers in carrying out analytical tasks commonly conducted as part of trade negotiations.

TINA was developed in close consultation with current and former members of trade negotiation teams throughout the Asia-Pacific region, using state of the art methodologies and technologies, according to UNESCAP. “The latest update features a trade agreement text analysis module as well as partial equilibrium impact assessments for tariff liberalisation, least developed country (LDC) status graduation, and tariff preference loss scenarios.”

Many of the intense tasks undertaken for trade liberalisation negotiations require specialised analytical and data management skills and are time-consuming when performed manually. TINA automates many of such tasks, enabling countries with limited resources to benefit from the same level of preparation as those afforded to teams of larger economies.

“As we work together to advance the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, many economies in the region need help in effectively preparing for trade negotiations and assessing the benefits of prospective trade deals,” said UN under-secretary-general and executive secretary of ESCAP Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana at the launch.

“Member states about to graduate from the least developed countries status are in most need of international support measures, as they must negotiate new trade agreements to secure some of the trade preferences they previously received,” Alisjahbana further highlighted.

Since its inception in 2018, TINA has assisted several countries in the region. For example, at the request of the Government of Bangladesh, TINA has been used to help them with the Bangladesh-India trade agreement feasibility study. Bangladesh, Cambodia and Vanuatu have also benefitted from a new key feature of TINA, which evaluates the trade impacts of least developed country status graduation and resulting partial withdrawal of preferences by major trading partners such as the European Union, the United States, China and India. “This feature is significant as it identifies sectors and markets most likely to be impacted, thus drawing policymakers’ attention to accord higher prioritisation to those sectors,” the UNESCAP said.

“One of the most promising features of TINA3.0 is its stated ability to use the partial equilibrium model to identify the most affected sector(s) of an economy when it graduates out of the least developed country status,” secretary at the Ministry of Commerce of Bangladesh Dr Md Jafar Uddin shared, adding that the software promises to help the planners and policy makers understand the overall impact on the graduating economy. “It may be of great use to Bangladesh at this stage.”

While the Covid-19 pandemic has temporarily slowed down some negotiations, trade agreements have continued to grow - in number, scope and complexity. Some 184 trade agreements are currently in force involving at least one Asia-Pacific country, with another hundred either signed or under negotiation as of December 2020.

Green recovery policies once in lifetime opportunity to raise climate ambitions in Asia-Pacific

 While much of the attention this year has been focused on protecting populations as well as the socio-economic impacts and recovery needed, high-level officials from across the Asia-Pacific this week called upon countries to address the environmental roots of the Covid-19 pandemic to further protect the health of people and the planet.

Held yesterday and today, the sixth session of the Committee on Environment and Development was convened by the United Nations (UN) Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). The session shone the spotlight on the region’s environmental challenges in the context of the pandemic.

“As we recover better together, the future of our region is fundamentally tied to the success or failure in stewardship of the environmental system and response to the climate change challenge,” UN under-secretary-general and executive secretary of ESCAP Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, in her opening remarks. “ESCAP analysis shows that business as usual is likely to drive significant tensions between and within countries, climate mitigation, inequality, and hardship,” she said.

“The destruction of the living world not only undermines our only support system; it makes pandemics more likely,” deputy executive director of UN Environment Programme Joyce Msuya said, adding that yet as nations seek ways to recover from the pandemic, “I see a once in a lifetime opportunity to transform our economies and societies at the scale and speed we need as it is vital countries get this right as the impacts will be felt in the decades to come.”

The Asia-Pacific region is experiencing enormous transformations, characterised by rapidly increasing resource consumption, energy use and CO2 emissions. These changes are negatively affecting biodiversity and the environment. While recent commitments being made by countries across the region to significantly reduce emissions and achieve carbon neutrality are encouraging, they are still not enough.

The Committee highlighted four entry points critical to the region: Raising climate ambition, Safeguarding ecosystem health, Clean air for all, and Cities for a sustainable future. Delegates shared that innovative solutions can be harnessed to address the climate crisis.  These include more ambitious mitigation pathways such as increasing energy efficiency of industry and cities by 60 to 70 per cent; decarbonisation of electricity; deep reductions in agricultural emissions; and advancing carbon capture, carbon storage and sequestration measures.

Discussions also focused on realizing environmental benefits through policy convergence and enhanced regional cooperation. Countries considered opportunities to support and scale up collective work on the environment by strengthening implementation of existing multilateral environmental agreements and processes, and mobilizing the region’s technical expertise.

To this end, the Committee endorsed the establishment of a technical expert group to facilitate the exchange of information among countries and various stakeholders in the region to address environmental issues through enhanced climate action, improve the efficiency of natural resources management, address air pollution and promote sustainable urban planning.

UN and EIF launch interactive guide on cross-border paperless trade

 Cross-border paperless trade has great potential to not only grow trade competitiveness but also to address new challenges associated with e-commerce and the digital economy. The United Nations (UN) Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), in collaboration with the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) and the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF), today launched an interactive guide to support readiness assessments on cross-border paperless trade.

The Online Readiness Assessment Guide for Cross-border Paperless Trade is designed to support countries in the region to conduct self-assessments of legal and technical readiness on cross-border paperless trade, according to a press note issued by the UNESCAP. “With the new guide, countries have at their disposal, comprehensive guides on how to conduct readiness assessments, without the need for intensive physical travelling of experts,” it reads, adding that they will also be able to interact virtually with experts for further guidance on conducting readiness assessment on a request basis.

“The guide being launched today is expected to support member states in conducting self-assessments of their legal and technical readiness for cross-border paperless trade, as a first step towards developing a concrete action plan for implementation,” UN under-secretary-general and executive secretary of ESCAP Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana said at the launch.”

The Framework Agreement on Facilitation of Cross-border Paperless Trade in Asia and the Pacific, that the guide is supporting the implementation of, is designed so that countries at all levels of development and digitalisation can participate, leaving no one behind, she said, urging all member states to complete ratification as soon as possible.

“The Online Readiness Assessment Guide for Cross-border Paperless Trade is an important diagnostic tool to identify opportunities for adopting laws and regulations that enable paperless trade,” UNCITRAL secretary Anna Joubin-Bret said, adding that UNCITRAL texts are a core component of that legal environment. “The importance of taking prompt action in this area has recently been highlighted by the discussions on how to mitigate the economic effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.”

“We are pleased to have cooperated with ESCAP and EIF in preparing this Online Guide and look forward to work with all concerned partners to support States in this critical endeavor,” she shared.

“The potential benefits from digitalization of trade processes are substantial,” executive director of the Executive Secretariat for the EIF Dr Ratnakar Adhikari said.

“The online interactive guide on cross-border paperless trade will be instrumental in supporting countries to assess their technical and legal gaps in electronic exchange of trade data and documents with other trading partners,” he said, adding that they look forward to working with the partners, including ESCAP, to support least developed countries in the region to strengthen their institutional capacity and harmonise data standards towards the vision of an Asia-Pacific paperless trading environment.

Readiness assessments on cross-border paperless trade support implementation of the Framework Agreement on Facilitation of Cross-Border Paperless Trade in Asia and the Pacific, which will soon enter into force on February 20, 2021. Five countries – Azerbaijan, Philippines, Islamic Republic of Iran, Bangladesh and China - have thus far ratified or acceded to this UN treaty. In addition, Armenia and Cambodia have signed in 2017, with several more in the process of completing their domestic processes for accession.

The treaty, with its common set of general principles and a dedicated intergovernmental platform, will support countries in building on the bilateral and subregional digital trade solutions they have already developed to achieve greater, region-wide paperless trade. By enabling exchange and legal recognition of trade data and documents, it could reduce trade costs by 25 per cent across the Asia-Pacific region and support more seamless and resilient trade.

Moreover, the policy responses to the Covid-19 pandemic are having a significant impact on the cost of trading goods across borders. Despite measures taken by many countries to keep goods moving across borders, ESCAP research reveals that international trade costs faced by importers and exporters in the region are expected to rise by 7 per cent on average this year, with some facing increases in costs exceeding 20 per cent.

The new guide is relevant to all countries globally, as it can support the implementation of not only the treaty but also the full digital implementation of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA).

The Online Readiness Assessment Guide resulted from strong partnerships and continuous efforts in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond. It is based on legal and technical readiness assessment checklists developed by the Interim Intergovernmental Steering Group on Cross-border Paperless Trade Facilitation at ESCAP and its Legal and Technical Working Groups, with contributions from the United Nations Network of Experts for Paperless Trade and Transport in Asia and the Pacific (UNNExT). It benefited from the legal expertise on e-commerce of the UNCITRAL, as well as support from the EIF under a joint project on facilitating cross-border trade in LDCs for sustainable development. It also incorporates lessons learned from other ESCAP trade facilitation projects funded by China, the Russian Federation as well as the Republic of Korea.

Fourth South Asia SDG Forum calls for South Asian cooperation for sustainable and resilient recovery

 The fourth South Asia Forum on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – organised by the United Nations (UN) Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the Maldives' government virtually on December 2-3 – brought together over 450 participants from governments, think-tanks, and civil society organizations from eight South Asian countries.

Preceded by the South Asia People’s Forum on SDGs, the Forum reviewed the status of SDG achievements and the actions taken by the South Asian governments towards resilient and sustainable recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, including Bhutan and Pakistan that will present their second Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) at the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) in 2021.

United Nations under-secretary-general and executive secretary of ESCAP Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana advocated greater action on strengthened social protection and financing economic recovery through innovative financing strategies, accelerating digital transformation and greening recovery through the use of clean technology. She also reiterated the commitment of ESCAP in continuing to work closely with member States and other partners in the region.

Likewise, SAARC secretary-general Esala Ruwan Weerakoon on the occasion, highlighted cooperation initiatives such as the SAARC Emergency Fund to curb the pandemic's impact and urged member states to put SDGs at the center of all policy making and recovery planning. He also complimented ESCAP for its work on Covid-19 and for establishing the portal of the South Asia Network (SANS) on SDGs.

BIMSTEC secretary-general Tenzin Lekphell also emphasised the need for aligning plans with the 2030 Agenda and urged member states in South Asia to work together to address the impact of the pandemic and achieve the SDGs.

The forum serves as a subregional preparatory process for the 8th Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (APFSD) to be held in March 2021, on the theme of ‘Accelerating action and delivery of the 2030 Agenda in Asia and the Pacific’. Inputs from the Forum will also feed into the HLPF to be held in July 2021. The forum was followed by a special event on Disaster and Climate Resilience in South Asia with the participation of environment ministers of five South Asian countries.

Asia-Pacific countries commit to advance regional cooperation for sustainable connectivity

 Recognising that the Covid-19 pandemic has caused widespread socio-economic impacts and disruptions across Asia-Pacific, high-level officials called for a rethink on the future development of sustainable transport connectivity and mobility in the region at the sixth session of the Committee on Transport, today.

Convened by the United Nations (UN) Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), the two-day meeting highlighted pressing regional priorities and areas for policy interventions in the transport sector. Central to discussions were transformative actions for a more sustainable, efficient and resilient regional transport connectivity against the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“By anchoring regional connectivity, there is a real opportunity to transform transport systems and services to follow a low-carbon development path, increase the share of clean energy and adopt innovations and emerging smart transport technologies to improve environmental sustainability in Asia and the Pacific,” said UN under-secretary-general and executive secretary of ESCAP Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana.

“Our region faces significant challenges due to the Covid-19 pandemic with the transport sector being one of the hardest hit, and our collective efforts to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development now face strong headwinds,” underscored minister of Transport of Thailand Saksayam Chidchob in his opening remarks.

The Asia-Pacific region has made great efforts to preserve transport connectivity during the pandemic. Member countries of the Asian Highway network have maintained all or a significant part of their land borders open for freight. Freight transport has proceeded with limited interruptions along the Trans-Asian Railway network.

The pandemic has also created great momentum for digitisation and shown that there is high potential for a more balanced and sustainable modal split of freight transport, as the use of rail has grown to compensate for the interruptions in road transport operations.

However, significant financial losses sustained by the transport sector will have a lasting impact on its competitiveness in the aftermath of the pandemic.  The Asia road freight industry is expected to experience a turnover decline of 21 per cent in 2020 and rail freight by $1.7 billion for 2020 and 2021. 

In this regard, the Committee also discussed the direction of the next phase of the Regional Action Programme for Sustainable Transport Connectivity in Asia and the Pacific (2022 – 2026), which will be further developed, in close consultation with member countries and submitted for endorsement at the fourth Ministerial Conference on Transport in October 2021.

The next phase of the Regional Action Programme is expected to include accelerated and transformational changes towards more resilient, environmentally sustainable, and safer transport and mobility services in the region. Ambitious actions to incorporate broader social development elements such as gender equality, safety, accessibility, and inclusion in the transport sector were also proposed.

Held every two years, the Committee on Transport provides countries in the Asia-Pacific region with a platform to exchange views, good practices and recommend policies to align the transport sector with sustainable development objectives. The sixth session of the Committee was attended by high-level participants from 38 member countries and 32 organisations.

Asia-Pacific cities at forefront of accelerating sustainable development action, building back better

 As countries strive to build back better post Covid-19, sustainable urbanisation can make cities change agents on solving the persistent problems of climate crisis, unsustainable resource use, widespread inequality, discrimination and injustice in the Asia-Pacific region.

The Asia-Pacific Regional Guidelines on Voluntary Local Reviews, launched today by the United Nations (UN) Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and Penang Platform for Sustainable Urbanisation (PPSU), highlights the critical role local leaders and city governments play in action for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“The Covid-19 pandemic has shown us that cities have a transformative potential that can be harnessed and enhanced to forge inclusive, prosperous, and resilient places,” ESCAP’s Environment and Development Division director Stefanos Fotiou said, adding, “as home to most of the world’s urban population, Asia-Pacific cities can serve as the drivers of sustainable development for the achievement of the SDGs and the Paris Agreement.”

Cities are at ground zero of the Covid-19 pandemic with 90 per cent of cases reported globally. This has made many local leaders and governments realise that the social, economic and environmental challenges it poses are not just abstract issues of national concern; they are very real and often played out locally in urban areas.

“The challenges faced calls for a revisit of city’s priorities as we adopt the relevant global goals to review our planning, our policies and strategies, with a stronger focus on resilience,” shared PPSU chair and chief executive of Urbanice Malaysia Norliza Hashim. “Building upon the call for a decade of action, Voluntary Local Reviews can build on local action and people action to accelerate the transformation of cities by creating better city and better life for communities,” she added.

The formulation of VLRs can be a game changer not just in assessing progress but also in encouraging SDG localisation. They provide the opportunity for cities to rethink their planning process as well as better engage local communities in understanding their needs and getting them involved meaningfully in recovery strategies and long-term development efforts.

The Guidelines aim to support Asia-Pacific cities willing to undertake a Voluntary Local Review (VLR) and produce an initial holistic report to stakeholders that connects local strategies with global agendas. Although gaining in momentum, the VLR process does not yet have any official status as part of the formal follow-up and review processes hosted by the UN. The Guidelines are the first of its kind to provide cities with guidance specific to the region to help them decide where to start, how to start and what to keep in mind when conducting a VLR.

This is the first regional knowledge product of the Penang Platform for Sustainable Urbanisation, which was formally established last year at the Asia-Pacific Urban Forum. City partners involved in the development of the Guidelines include Surabaya, Indonesia; Subang Jaya and Shah Alam of Malaysia; Naga of Philippines; Nakhon Si Thammarat of Thailand; Singra of Bangladesh; Dhulikhel of Nepal; and Betio of Kiribati.

Business leaders express support for multilateralism, global value chains to build back better post Covid-19

 Eminent business leaders from across the Asia-Pacific region have expressed strong support for multilateralism and regional cooperation as well as increased public-private partnerships to build back better and more sustainably.

They also underscored that as countries recover from the Covid-19 pandemic impacts, this is no time for nationalism and protectionism; further highlighting the importance of reviving international trade and investment to allow businesses to grow and access world markets.

Over 750 private sector leaders, policymakers and community stakeholders participated in the Asia-Pacific Business Forum (APBF) 2020 today, organised by the United Nations (UN) Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) in cooperation with the ESCAP Sustainable Business Network (ESBN).

This year, the Forum discussions focused on ‘The Future of Global Value Chains and Implications for SMEs’. Apart from ongoing trade tensions and market disruptions, the management of the Covid-19 pandemic is challenging the future of business and regional value chains. This has resulted in severe negative impacts on small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to keep their businesses afloat. The current crisis has necessitated the importance of reshoring and consolidation of hubs and architecture of the value chains in the Asia-Pacific region. By raising business resilience, SMEs will be in a better position to participate in value chains and offer new investment opportunities, according to a press note issued by the UNESCAP.

“Governments and business must work together to ensure resilient and sustainable value chains,” UN under-secretary-general and executive secretary of ESCAP Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana said, adding that governments need to provide the appropriate supporting policy and regulatory frameworks to allow for an effective and efficient collaboration within public-private investment mechanisms.

“One crucial opportunity from the economic downturn is that it offers the chance to rebuild,” vice minister for Commerce, Thailand Dr Sansern Samalapa highlighted in his keynote speech. “This is the time to add and strive for more sustainability in global value chains, which is one of the key objectives of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,” he added.

“Even in this difficult time as we grapple with the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic worldwide, it is protectionist policies that continue to pose the greatest threat long-term to global supply chains and the millions of small companies that rely on open markets for the health of their businesses and their communities,” secretary-general at the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) John WH Denton said.

The Forum further highlighted the importance of conducive policy and regulatory environments, as well as greater improvements in sustainable regional connectivity in trade, transport, energy and ICT. In particular, the pandemic has boosted the need for and value of digitalization which cuts across all sectors of the economy. This, underscored Forum delegates, is the modality of the future for business, both large, medium and small.

Established in 2004, the Asia-Pacific Business Forum is the flagship regional business forum organised by ESCAP and ESBN as a platform for regional public-private sector dialogue on the role and needs of business in achieving inclusive, resilient and sustainable development. The ABPF also seeks to showcase innovative and sustainable solutions that businesses are creating in a variety of industries to meet the development needs of Asia and the Pacific.

Young voices inspire sustainable development action at UN75 regional commemoration

 The United Nations (UN) is marking its 75th anniversary at a time of great disruption for the world, compounded by an unprecedented global health crisis with severe economic and social impacts. The regional commemoration jointly hosted by the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the Office of the United Nations resident coordinator in Thailand today drew attention to the power of innovation and partnerships, especially among younger generations, in building a better future post Covid-19.

“We face colossal challenges. With global solidarity and cooperation, we can overcome them,” shared UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres in a special video message. “That’s what the United Nations is all about,” he said, asking people everywhere to join together, on this anniversary. “The United Nations not only stands with you; the United Nations belong to you and is you: we the peoples.”

“History teaches that we are more effective and relevant, if we empower people to support the societal transformation that we aspire together,” UN under-secretary-general and executive secretary of ESCAP Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana said, adding that accelerating progress towards the 2030 Agenda, the Paris Agreement, the Sendai Framework, and other internationally agreed development goals, is possible only through an enhanced multilateral cooperation and development partnership.

In January 2020, the UN also launched the UN75 initiative. Dubbed the world’s largest conversation, thousands of people shared their hopes and fears for the future, as well as their expectations of international cooperation and of the UN in particular. When asked where we should be in 25 years, most responses focused on human rights, environmental protection, tackling inequalities and better access to education. Respondents also cited climate change and environmental issues as the most influential trends for the future.

Several dignitaries and eminent persons also shared messages reflecting on the organisation’s 75-year journey and the way forward. They included Prime Minister of Tuvalu Kausea Natano, Kazakhstan foreign minister Mukhtar Tleuberdi, Maldives foreign minister Abdulla Shahid, foreign minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali, Republic of Korea foreign minister Kang Kyung-wha, Russian ambassador to Thailand Evgeny Tomikhin, chairperson of China Disabled Persons’ Federation Haidi Zhang, Fung Group senior advisor Barbara Meynert, former Pacific Community director general Dr Collin Tukuitonga, Asia director of the Action Group on Erosion, Technology and Concentration Elenita Dano, special adviser to the UN secretary-general Fabrizio Hochschild and 75-year old former staff ESCAP member Pudpong Ujjin.

The discussions also brought to light what is needed for change to take root, from embracing sustainability in individual choices to policy support for social enterprises.

Asia-Pacific countries endorse action plan to strengthen social protection

 Countries in the Asia-Pacific region have today endorsed an action plan pledging to collectively step up regional cooperation for social protection – a timely move as governments are striving to protect people from unprecedented economic and social development setbacks wrought by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The action plan was endorsed at the sixth session of the Committee on Social Development, hosted by the United Nations (UN) Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) this week. It serves as an overarching framework for action at the national level and develops a regional platform to strengthen knowledge and capacity for broadening effective social protection coverage.

“To counter the economic fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic, many member states have strengthened existing social protection schemes and sometimes introduced new, ad hoc measures,” said UN under-secretary-general and ESCAP executive secretary Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana in her opening remarks. “In times of socio-economic crisis, social protection is our society’s primary line of defence,” she said, underscoring that they need to invest in comprehensive social protection systems and to monitor our progress in achieving relevant targets of the 2030 agenda to ensure an inclusive, resilient, and prosperous Asia-Pacific.

The regional action plan on social protection provides countries with a shared vision, strategy and platform for promoting partnership, peer learning as well as identifying needs for technical assistance. The plan further aims to accelerate implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development by including those at risk of being left behind.

“As we continue to tread unknown and uncertain grounds, the committee provided an opportunity to forge ways to strengthen social protection as a key instrument for building resilience,” Ambassador of Sri Lanka Samantha K Jayasuriya, who served as the chair of the sixth session, said, adding that the region is facing unprecedented demographic shifts, which has resulted in profound impact on sustainable development. “In addition, Covid-19 has affected all population groups in the region, with those in vulnerable situations at particular risk of being impacted such as older persons, women, persons with disabilities and migrants.”

“This vulnerability is not inevitable,” she added.

The committee also endorsed an indicator framework for monitoring progress towards the implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) and the Asian and Pacific Ministerial Declaration on Population and Development. Adoption of the framework means that the progress toward these commitments will now be measurable.

Both commitments address fundamental inequalities in access to health, education, and social protection, emphasise the value of investing in women and girls and strengthen access to sexual and reproductive health. The indicator framework can be used for voluntary national reviews (VNRs) and supports governments in designing specific policies that will eventually reduce inequalities in access to health, education and social protection.

Levels of social protection coverage remain strikingly low in Asia and the Pacific, with just over half the population having no access to any social protection scheme. Insufficient investments in social protection has proven a persistent reason for these gaps. The pandemic has further perpetuated pre-existing inequalities, including gender inequalities.

The committee’s thematic focus on social protection follows the launch of ESCAP and ILO’s Social Outlook for Asia and the Pacific 2020: The Protection We Want last week. The Outlook is the first-ever regional report on social protection in Asia and the Pacific, which evidences that well-managed social protection systems have been far better equipped to respond to the unexpected and shielding the most vulnerable.

UN forges technological cooperation to tackle Covid-19 in Asia and the Pacific

 Collaboration at the regional level is a critical force for scaling up effective technologies and increasing innovation capacity in the fight against Covid-19, according to high-level officials and key stakeholders at the third session of the Committee on Information and Communications Technology (ICT), Science, Technology and Innovation.

Convened by the United Nations (UN) Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), the two-day Committee meeting highlighted how digital inclusion and resilient digital networks across the entire region have become the foundation for government measures to effectively stem the worst impacts of the pandemic.

“Digital has taken on a compelling new meaning in the region; people, planet and prosperity are all increasingly dependent on access to digitally-driven technological innovations and seamless connectivity,” said UN under-secretary-general and executive secretary of ESCAP Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana. 

“As we are planning to chart our future in the post-Covid-19 world, we need to address the digital and technology divide with urgency,” she said, adding that they cannot let this divide drive new forms of socio-economic inequalities. “More than half of the region’s 4.1 billion people remain offline and in least developed, landlocked developing and Pacific island countries, less than 5 per cent of the population has access to high-speed and affordable Internet.”

Women and girls, regardless of location, level of income or age, have lower access than men, she added.

“We need to accelerate the digital transformation that has happened before the Covid-19 pandemic,” minister for Research and Technology and Chairman of the National Agency for Research and Innovation of Indonesia Bambang Brodjonegoro sid, adding, “We need to make sure that quality telecommunications infrastructure is made available.”

The committee discussed a set of guidelines for inclusive technology and innovation policies for sustainable development, and committed to developing policies that promote inclusive technology and innovation to ensure that innovations are accessible, relevant and affordable for all, to leave no one behind.

The Committee also underscored the importance of harnessing the entrepreneurial spirit of the private sector to focus on developing innovations to address social and environmental challenges as well as provide economic opportunities. Social innovators and entrepreneurs have stepped up in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. 

A regional launch of the 2020 United Nations E-Government Survey published by the United Nations (UN) Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) was held on the sidelines of the Committee. The survey finds that among the world’s least developed countries (LDCs) Bhutan, Bangladesh and Cambodia have become leaders in digital government development, advancing from the middle to the high E-Government Development Index group in 2020. At the launch, ESCAP further highlighted the challenges and opportunities of digital government in the Asia-Pacific region and emphasized the use of ICT during all phases of disaster risk management.

Pandemic response in South-East Asia must address rising inequalities: UN report

The United Nations (UN) has commended governments in South-East Asia for acting swiftly to stem the most serious health consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic. Robust regional cooperation, coordinated by ASEAN, has also resulted in South-East Asia reporting significantly lower confirmed Covid-19 cases and related deaths compared to most other global regions.
The UN secretary-general’s Policy Brief ‘The Impact of Covid-19 on South-East Asia’ – issued today – however warns that these early successes must be translated into addressing the serious socio-economic setbacks which threaten to further deepen inequalities across the region.
“As in other parts of the world, the health, economic and political impact of Covid-19 has been significant across South-East Asia, hitting the most vulnerable the hardest,” UN secretary general António Guterres said, adding that the pandemic has highlighted deep inequalities, shortfalls in governance and the imperative for a sustainable development pathway. “And it has revealed new challenges, including to peace and security, while the region has much work to do, it also has formidable capacities at its disposal.”
The new UN report examines how Covid-19 has affected eleven countries in South-East Asia and proposes action-oriented recommendations on mitigating immediate impacts and planning pathways out of the crisis.
“The Brief highlights the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on vulnerable groups, particularly workers in the informal economy,” UN under-secretary-general and executive secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, said, adding that the crisis is threatening to push them back into poverty and unemployment. “Responding to the pandemic and delivering on the Sustainable Development Goals are closely interlinked.”
“We need a future that is more equitable, sustainable and resilient,” she added.
Moving forward, four areas will be critical in the region’s plans for recovery: tackling inequality, bridging the digital divide, greening the economy, and upholding human rights and good governance.
The uneven landscape of social protection systems has placed tackling inequality at the centre of both short and long-term recovery efforts, according to the report. Increased investments to strengthen health systems and accelerate progress towards universal health care will be critical to support those excluded from formal policy and social protection measures.
Digital technology has also proved to be a critical tool in response to the pandemic. However, the benefits it offers are beyond the reach of the 55 per cent of South-East Asia’s population who remain offline. A regionally coordinated and scaled up effort is needed to put in place next-generation infrastructure networks and ensure universal digital connectivity, highlights the Brief.
The crisis presents an opportunity for countries to re-orient their development towards sustainability particularly through green recovery packages. Stimulus packages should be directed to industries that are low-carbon, resource efficient and aligned with environmental and climate objectives. By phasing out fossil fuel subsidies, countries could finance most or all of their current stimulus packages. Such measures would create massive fiscal space and greatly boost low carbon alternatives such as renewable energy and energy efficiency.
The Brief further underscores that countries in South-East Asia and their leaders can play an important role in upholding human rights and good governance practices in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic. Leaders can leverage community-based organizations, promote inclusion, participation and unity; and speak out against discrimination.
The report is part of a series of policy briefs issued by the UN that examine the sectoral and geographical dimensions of the Covid-19 pandemic across the world.

UN launches call for research proposals on evidence-based financial solutions for women entrepreneurs in Asia-Pacific

The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) has launched a call for research proposals which will provide up to $25,000 in funding to a maximum of six proposals, to undertake human centered design inspired research. The research should explore the nuanced challenges faced by women entrepreneurs in accessing financing at different stages of their enterprise journey and offer solutions to those challenges, it said, adding that the objective of the applied research is to identify innovative financial solutions that can be developed or tailored to best address the needs and demands of women entrepreneurs in Bangladesh, Cambodia, Fiji, Nepal, Samoa and, or Viet Nam. “ESCAP’s Catalyzing Women’s Entrepreneurship initiative, with financial support from the government of Canada, works to create an enabling entrepreneurial ecosystem for women.”
The research findings through the initiative will be used to inform the design of market-based solutions that enhance different groups of women entrepreneurs’ access and use of financial services. The research findings should also inspire replication of proposed solutions in other markets, it added.

UN forum calls for greater investments in statistics to ensure no one, nowhere is left behind post Covid-19

Increasing investments in official statistics as well as empowering users will be a crucial factor to support post-pandemic socio-economic recovery in the Asia-Pacific region, underscored delegates at the close of a United Nations (UN) meeting today.
The Asia-Pacific Statistics Week, organised by the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), brought together more than 1000 participants representing governments, national statistics offices, central banks, academia and international organisations. 85 papers from 18 countries and eight international organizations were discussed at the four-day virtual forum.
“Official statistics are essential to trust, accountability and transparency,” United Nations under-secretary-general and executive secretary of ESCAP Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana said at the closing session. “Asia and the Pacific is poised to build back better after Covid-19 with stronger, more empowered national statistical offices supporting inclusive societies. “They are innovating and embracing digital transformations.”
“Official statistics provide governments, businesses and civil society with the indispensable information they need to make good decisions,” shared president of the International Association for Official Statistics John Pullinger. “And they give people and their representatives the tools to have informed debates, to make choices and to hold decision makers to account,” he said, adding that the Asia-Pacific Statistics Week is a wonderful example of the reach of official statistics in Asia and the Pacific.
The forum focused on progress made towards the Asia-Pacific Collective Vision and Framework for Action for advancing official statistics for the 2030 Agenda under five action areas. It discussed empowering national statistical systems to meet urgent and evolving statistical needs by strengthening statistical skills, modernising statistical business processes, legal and institutional structures, and engaging users.
While the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development has placed greater demand for a wider scope of statistics, many countries in the region continue to struggle with getting the basics such as population and economic statistics right. Participants highlighted the increasing need for regional substantive support in this area, and for more data integration to support analysis of sustainable development issues. They also underscored the importance of engaging users to make national statistical systems more responsive and able to develop strategies for better-informed policy decisions.
Held annually since 2016, the Asia-Pacific Statistics Week is a key forum in the region that provides a platform for knowledge sharing among practitioners involved in the production and use of statistics.

ADB, ESCAP discuss stepping up cooperation to help Asia-Pacific in addressing Covid-19 crisis

Asian Development Bank (ADB) president Masatsugu Asakawa and United Nations (UN) Economic and Social Commission for Asia and Pacific (ESCAP) executive secretary Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana today discussed enhancing cooperation to help the region as it addresses the novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.
“ESCAP played a key role in the establishment of ADB and our two organisations have a long history of close partnership,” Asakawa said, adding that the continued cooperation is now more important than ever. “We must seek further synergies by combining our knowledge, networks, and finance to help developing Asia address health, social, and economic crises caused by Covid-19.”
“Supporting our member countries build back better after Covid-19 lies at the heart of both our agendas,” Alisjahbana said, adding that she is looking forward to deepening the cooperation to get this region’s economies and societies back on their feet in a way that protects our region’s precious environmental resources – very much including our oceans.
ADB and ESCAP launched with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) a joint report on fast-tracking the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Asia-Pacific, at the 7th Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development in May. The forum concluded that the future of the region will be dictated by how countries respond to the pandemic and how well these responses are aligned with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The two organisations also organise the Asia-Pacific Trade Facilitation Forum and collaborate across many other areas, such as the Thematic Working Group on Gender Equality and on the Asia Pacific Climate Week. ADB is looking to expand cooperation with ESCAP on areas including gender inequality, climate change, ocean pollution, and boosting quality infrastructure.
ESCAP recently announced a framework of support to member states as they respond to the socioeconomic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. The framework centers on three streams of work, (i) supporting sustainable and inclusive economic recovery through fiscal and monetary stimuli in line with the 2030 Agenda and Paris Agreement; (ii) protecting and investing in people and enhancing resilience of societies and communities, especially women and vulnerable groups of population; and (iii) restoring and building resilience in supply chains through regional and subegional coordination on trade, investment, transport and digital  connectivity and supporting small and medium enterprises.
The framework also encourages countries to seize the opportunity to protect the environment by reducing pollution, supporting decarbonisation and energy efficiency, and combating climate change.
ESCAP serves as the UN regional hub promoting cooperation among countries to achieve inclusive and sustainable development. The largest regional intergovernmental platform with 53 member states and 9 associate members, ESCAP offers countries sound analytical products, policy advisory services, capacity building and technical assistance to support countries’ sustainable and inclusive development ambitions.

Nepal elected Governing Council member at APCTT

Nepal – along with eight ther member states – has been elected Governing Council member of the Asian and Pacific Centre for Transfer of Technology (APCTT) for three-year term from 2020 to 2023 during the 76th session of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) today.
APCTT is a United Nations Regional Institution under the ESCAP, reads a press note issued by Nepal’s Embassy in Bangkok. “APCTT promotes transfer of technology to and from small- and medium-scale enterprises in Asia and the Pacific.”
Nepal's election to the Governing Council member of the APCTT – for the first time after more than six years – confirmed ambassador of Nepal to Thailand and Permanent Representative to the UNESCAP Ganesh Prasad Dhakal, who led the Nepali delegation to the virtual 76th Commission Session. The session adopted two resolutions on ‘Strengthening cooperation to promote the conservation and sustainable use of the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development in Asia and the Pacific’ and the second on ‘Regional cooperation to address the socioeconomic effects of pandemics and crises in Asia and the Pacific’.
While delivering a brief statement in the session, ambassador Dhakal highlighted the impact of Covid-19 pandemic on the national economy and underscored the need of enhanced level of support and cooperation to the LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS to strengthen their resilience.
The next year's Commission Session will be held in Bangkok from April 26 to April 30 on the theme of ‘Building back better from crises through regional cooperation in Asia and the Pacific’.
The governments of Asia and the Pacific meeting today also agreed to pursue coordinated and decisive actions, as well as reinforce regional and global cooperation in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.
Endorsing a resolution at the 76th Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (CS76), they declared profound solidarity and vouched to provide unimpeded support and technical assistance to those most affected, particularly in developing countries with weaker health systems and vulnerable populations.
“Governments and leaders are grappling with a wide range of challenges that risk recent progress in the Asia-Pacific region and around the world,” United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said opening the meeting. “Many countries are charting a solid course toward Covid-19 solutions, but millions in the region remain highly vulnerable and at risk,” he said, adding that the world has an opportunity to build back better on the foundations of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
“When addressing the health crisis, countries face an unprecedented dilemma: the need to balance measures to contain the pandemic against those for socio-economic recovery,” United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) Armida Alisjahbana said, adding that in order to support countries in building back better, refocusing our work is necessary. She further highlighted three priority areas – supporting economic recovery, protecting people and enhancing resilience, and restoring supply chains and supporting small and medium enterprises, while urging countries to align policies with environmental protection and climate action.
Deliberations this year focused on the theme ‘Promoting economic, social and environmental cooperation on oceans for sustainable development.’ Towards this end, countries endorsed a resolution to conserve and sustainably use oceans and marine resources in the region. The resolution calls for countries to strengthen regional cooperation and redouble efforts to reduce marine pollution, improve ocean data and statistics, and support sustainable maritime connectivity. Countries also agreed to boost public-private and civil society partnerships in the sustainable management of fisheries, aquaculture and tourism to increase economic benefits for small island developing States and least developed countries.

Increase spending on managing Covid-19 pandemic: UN regional arm

The novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic is having far-reaching economic and social consequences for the Asia-Pacific region, with strong cross-border spillover effects through trade, tourism and financial linkages, according to a new report by the United Nations (UN) Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) released today.
The Economic and Social Survey of Asia and the Pacific 2020 highlights the Covid-19 pandemic as the immediate risk to the region’s economic outlook, deepening the economic slowdown that was already underway. Although there are significant uncertainties surrounding the pandemic, the negative impacts are likely to be substantial.
As governments respond to the unprecedented health crisis and introduce economic stimulus packages, the report estimates that Asia-Pacific developing countries should increase health emergency spending by $880 million per year. The survey also calls on Asia-Pacific countries to consider establishing a regional fund to respond to future health emergencies.
The ESCAP report suggests that, in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, policymakers should maintain accommodative macroeconomic policies to sustain the economic health of the region. Fiscal and monetary policies should be focused on supporting affected enterprises and households and preventing economic contagion. Fiscal spending can also play a significant role in enhancing the ability of health responders to monitor the spread of the pandemic, care for infected people and improve health emergency preparedness.
At the same time, countries should take the opportunity posed by these challenging times to rethink their economic development strategies towards a more inclusive, sustainable and planet-friendly economy. Countries in the region are not only going through a public health crisis but also a climate emergency, which is permanent and even more far-reaching and potentially more disastrous than the pandemic.
“Policymakers should not lose sight of people and the planet,” UN under-secretary-general and executive secretary of ESCAP Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana. “When it comes to designing economic stimulus packages, social inclusiveness and environmental sustainability must be built into every decision.”
The ESCAP report further reveals that the decades-long high economic growth in the region has been accompanied by growing inequality of income and opportunity, and detrimental impacts on the planet, which are endangering the well-being of present and future generations. Unsustainable consumption and production patterns have substantially increased greenhouse gas emissions, exacerbating the vulnerability of the region to climate change. Additionally, $240 billion worth of annual subsidies continue to feed the region’s heavy dependence on fossil-fuels.
It calls for a transition towards sustainable consumption and production, with cleaner production and less material-intensive lifestyles, supported by enabling policies. This would require all stakeholders, notably governments, businesses and consumers, to urgently align their own goals and actions with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The report urges strengthening of regional cooperation to raise the ambition to tackle climate emergency. Governments should scale up their efforts on climate-related standards, carbon pricing and implement sustainable consumption and production patterns at the regional level.
Produced annually since 1947, the Economic and Social Survey of Asia and the Pacific is one of the longest-running UN reports on the region’s progress. The survey provides analyses to guide policy discussion on the current and emerging socioeconomic issues and policy challenges to support inclusive and sustainable development in the Asia-Pacific region.

Asia expected to bounce back in 2020 with positive trade growth

Asia-Pacific economies may see positive trade growth in 2020 but are still facing downside risks from the adverse impacts of the United States-China trade tensions, two new trade briefs by the United Nations (UN) Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) released today revealed.
Trade in the Asia-Pacific region contracted during 2019. For the first time since the 2009 global economic crisis, the value and volume of trade in the region is declining. Total export volume fell by 2.5 per cent, while import volume decreased by 3.5 per cent. Oil exporting economies such as Islamic Republic of Iran and Indonesia as well as Japan, Singapore and Hong Kong, China registered some of the largest declines in export volume.
Merchandise trade in the region also faced strong headwinds in 2018-2019 caused by the worldwide economic growth slowdown and heightened trade tensions. These have had an adverse effect on trade, particularly in the case of economies closely integrated with China through Global Value Chains (GVCs). Integration of smaller traders into the global and regional economy through GVCs is becoming more difficult. New import barriers increase the cost of production and reduce the competitiveness of companies participating in regional production networks.
The ESCAP earlier estimated the tariff war-related toll on gross domestic product (GDP) could reach as much as $400 billion worldwide and $117 billion in the Asia-Pacific region. These projections are materialising and could increase unless current efforts to reduce trade tensions are successful.
“For the Asia-Pacific region, the challenge is to increase trade and deepen economic integration to support sustainable development,” UN under-secretary-general and executive secretary of ESCAP Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana said, adding that looking ahead to 2020, the agreement reached between China and the US is welcome and should reduce policy uncertainty.  She further underscored the importance of the multilateral trading system to underpin future trade growth.
The new guarantees provided by the implementation of the Phase-I deal reached between China and the US might boost investor and consumer confidence enough for trade in the region to grow by about 1.5 per cent in 2020. This growth would be felt more in developing economies, which could see a 1.9 per cent and 2.7 per cent growth in exports and imports respectively in 2020. However, country-level forecasts vary widely and uncertainties are high.
In trade in commercial services, the region again outperformed the rest of the world in 2019. Relatively slower growth is expected in 2020, with transport services, other business services and goods-related services expected to be most affected sectors. The mid to long-term prospects for trade in services – in particular ICT and business services – remain bright, supported by technological advances.
Commercial services trade in Asia and the Pacific continue to be dominated by a relatively small number of economies, namely China, Japan, India, Singapore, Republic of Korea and Hong Kong, China – accounting for over 70 per cent of total commercial services trade in the region. Increasing business opportunities associated with digital technologies may lead to a further concentration of trade opportunities in those economies.
The ESCAP trade briefs serve as a complement to the Asia-Pacific Trade and Investment Report 2019. They provide in-depth analysis of performance and trends in 2018-2019, and the outlook for 2020 at regional and country levels, with a special emphasis on the impact of escalating trade tensions within and outside the region.