ISLAMABAD: The Asia-Pacific region is set to miss a staggering 103 out of 117 measurable Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) targets by 2030 at the current pace.
The “Asia and the Pacific SDG Progress Report 2026”, published on Wednesday by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), also reveals a picture of deeply imbalanced development in the region.
Gains in health and well-being, and poverty reduction over the past decades, are being overshadowed by severe environmental decline and widening inequalities. Evidence shows setbacks in ensuring equal access to education and compliance with labour rights.
Insufficient data on gender equality and on peace, justice and strong institutions are obscuring policymakers’ understanding of how effectively the most vulnerable are being reached. In critical areas such as climate action, marine conservation and biodiversity, the situation is rapidly deteriorating.
For cities and communities, persistent regression, including damage to critical infrastructure, underscores a dangerous gap between planning and resilience on the ground.
“The very engines of growth that once lifted millions out of poverty and fuelled rapid industrialisation are now undermining our future,” said UN Under-Secretary-General Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, who is also the ESCAP executive secretary. “Our collective challenge is also our greatest opportunity: to build a region that is not only wealthier but smarter and healthier,” she added.
Published in Dawn, February 19th, 2026
