Why Asia-Pacific must accelerate action against climate change, poverty and hunger

The Asia-Pacific region is experiencing a reversal of progress in reducing poverty and hunger due to escalating climate-related hazards. Projections suggest 90% of the 116 measurable Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets for 2030 will be missed if current trends continue. The authors call for a collaborative, multi-stakeholder approach to integrate social protection, resilient food systems, and disaster risk reduction into national climate planning to protect vulnerable populations.

• The Asia-Pacific region is failing to meet United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets, with projections indicating that 90% of the 116 measurable targets for 2030 will be missed if current trends persist.
• Climate change is disproportionately affecting poorer countries and communities, straining socio-economic and environmental systems and increasing risks for women, children, older persons, persons with disabilities, and Indigenous people.
• Specific regional climate impacts include chronic and acute malnutrition in Indonesia due to delayed monsoons, food and water insecurity in the highlands and rural areas of Papua New Guinea caused by El Niño-related droughts, and glacier melt in the Hindu Kush Himalaya disrupting agriculture and water flows.
• Several countries are integrating social protection into climate frameworks: Cambodia has mainstreamed gender and social inclusion into its NDC; Indonesia has prioritized decent jobs and just transition; and Bangladesh, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Timor-Leste have integrated social protection into national action plans (NAPs).

APA

Alisjahbana, A. S., & Wignaraja, K. (2024). Why Asia-Pacific must accelerate action against climate change, poverty and hunger. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/stories/sustainable-development/asia-pacific-sdgs-climate-poverty-hunger-action/

Chicago

Alisjahbana, Armida Salsiah, and Kanni Wignaraja. Why Asia-Pacific must accelerate action against climate change, poverty and hunger. World Economic Forum, 2024. https://www.weforum.org/stories/sustainable-development/asia-pacific-sdgs-climate-poverty-hunger-action/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Alisjahbana |first1=Armida Salsiah |last2=Wignaraja |first2=Kanni |title=Why Asia-Pacific must accelerate action against climate change, poverty and hunger |publisher=World Economic Forum |date=8 August 2024 |url=https://www.weforum.org/stories/sustainable-development/asia-pacific-sdgs-climate-poverty-hunger-action/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{alisjahbana2024why, author = {Alisjahbana, Armida Salsiah and Wignaraja, Kanni}, title = {{Why Asia-Pacific must accelerate action against climate change, poverty and hunger}}, publisher = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2024}, month = aug, url = {https://www.weforum.org/stories/sustainable-development/asia-pacific-sdgs-climate-poverty-hunger-action/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }