SDGs from the Perspective of AP Region
13 January 2017
Special Session

Prof Dr Shahbaz KhanDirector,
Regional Science Bureau for Asia and the Pacific,Jakarta, Indonesia

10 Key Global Challenges
•••••
•
•••
•

Poverty eradication
Pollution
Population growth and urbanization
Food security and sustainable production
Old and New diseases
EnergyDisasters
Water and environmental resources
Climate change
Peace and security

Key Challenges - AP Region– The Asia-Pacific is urbanizing at unprecedented speed.
– Urban population of 43%– Asia holds half of the world’s cities including 6 of the world’s
10 largest cities.
– Half of Asia's population will be living in cities by 2020.
– China alone will have a billion urban people in 15 years fromnow.
– Unprecedented" urban expansion of some 150,000 people aday over the next two decades.

Water quantity and quality
Sharp increase in water use
Depletion of Groundwater sources
Food security
Climate change – extreme events
Rapid urbanisation – water footprints
Massive Pollution of Vital Water Resources
Nitrogen, pesticides, endocrine disruptors
Biodiversity lossSustainable Development Goals
The logical flow

• 169 proposed targets• 304 proposed
indicators

ENABLERS

Liferesources
The absoluteneeds

Condition
number 1 fordevelopment
Issues to besolved

Globalissues

SDGs Logical Flow,
Prof. Kamarulazizi
Ibrahim (USM,Malaysia)

What Can We Do?
Climate Change/Global Change
hazard,on natural

Adaptation to increased
innovation, focus
disasters
Sustainable

Rapid urbanization
Infrastructure
and population growth
Povertyservices,

Sustainability

Access to infrastructure,rights, and technologies

Innovation

Technology

Inter-connectedness of Global Challenges• Water – Energy – Food security• CC and renewable energy• CC and pollution• CC and food security• CC and natural disasters (impact of floods, volcaniceruptions and GHG emissions)• CC and sustainable cities

Key Areas of Concern SDGs in AP• Limited knowledge of climate shift of agro-ecological zones• Misinformed decisions resulting in unsatisfactory project
output• Inadequate resources (human, financial and material)• Economic crisis and limited donor support• Conflicting needs of funding agencies and communities• Lack of communities involvement in regional projects, needto involve the main decision-makers at appropriate levels• Poor timing of mitigation measures leading to lack ofcommitment• Need for sensitivity to work patterns, religious rites andfestivals in communities

Adaptive Management Challenge• Take on board shifting agro-climate zones for analysis of extremes, designand implementation of strategies.
• Integrated Flood and Drought vulnerability assessment and mitigation
measures using multiple criteria (meteorological, hydrological and agro
management principles). For example multiple criteria can have variables
such as:– Meteorological – rainfall, temperature, wind speed, sunshine etc.
– Soils - depth, type, available water content– Surface water use - percent irrigated area, surface water supplies– Ground water – ground water availability/utilization– Crop – cropping pattern changes, geo-spatial land use, crop condition,
anomalies of crop condition.
– Socio-economic – population of weaker sections, size class of farm holdings• Management options to build on the IWRM Spiral Approach or WaterFood-Energy Paradigm

Information to Wisdom

Conclusions• We have 3-4 decades to address and solve the key AP Challenges• The 2030 Agenda needs to be implemented using sound science,technology and innovation• We need to learn from mistakes of the past
• Reliable data, rational models and context sensitive policy
frameworks are necessary for sustainable development of theregion

Conclusions
Effective actions implement 2030 Agenda• Full understanding of complexities and inter-actions, and use ofinter- and trans-disciplinary approaches• Cooperation and partnerships at all levels• A more forward looking approach, aimed at minimisingexternalities and maximising benefits• Effective large scale initiatives for ‘new food’, ‘new energy’, and‘new cities’.
• Global awareness and ‘Educating for SD’