The Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (APFSD) is an annual, inclusive intergovernmental forum to support follow-up and review of progress on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the regional level.
This regional platform aims to inform, empower, and support Asia-Pacific countries (especially least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing States) in their efforts to achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals and their targets set out by the 2030 Agenda by identifying regional trends and sharing best practices and lessons learned. The Forum convenes United Nations system bodies, member States, international organizations, civil society, and other stakeholders whose reflections feed into and inform the 2025 High-level Political Forum (HLPF) in New York, which reviews sustainable development progress at the global level.
The 12th APFSD (25 to 28 February 2025) theme: “Advancing sustainable, inclusive, science- and evidence-based solutions for the 2030 Agenda and its SDGs for leaving no one behind in Asia and the Pacific” was held at the United Nations Conference Center (UNCC) in Bangkok, Thailand.
An associated event titled “Asia Science Mission for Sustainability” was hosted by the International Science Council Regional Focal Point for Asia and the Pacific (ISC RF-AP) along with Future Earth Asia. This was a focused briefing to the APFSD delegates on the Asia Science Mission for Sustainability. The ISC RFP-AP set the context and presented on the science missions for sustainability highlighting the International Science Council’s new mission-led science model to address complex interconnected challenges. Future Earth Asia introduced the Asia Science Mission for Sustainability as a transdisciplinary approach that brings together scientific and research institutions, policy-makers, funding partners and community organizations to co-design, co-develop and co-implement solutions that are better aligned with emerging societal needs and deliver real world impact.
The Deputy Executive Secretary, Partnerships and Coordination, Office of Executive Secretary, Mr. Hirohito Toda, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) gave the opening remarks highlighting the importance of mission-led science in accelerating achievement of sustainable development goals in the Asia Pacific region. Delegates representing various UN agencies including UNESCAP, the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) attended the event. Academic institutes including the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), Chulalongkorn University and representatives from the National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA)/Future Earth Thailand were also present as were representatives from youth civil society organizations as well.
The members shared their organization’s initiatives in addressing regional challenges and highlighted potential partnerships and collaboration with the Asia Science Mission. The members shared the critical role of science in addressing sustainability challenges and underscored the importance of national government and national government affiliated institutes’ support and guidance in propelling the mission and enhancing the science and policy landscape in the Asian region. The members also discussed possible entry points for potential demonstration sites to leverage existing projects and knowledge sharing platforms in the region.
The members extended their support and solidarity in taking forward the Asia Science Mission and the event generated a lot of interest leading to an invitation from UNESCAP to provide an intervention statement during the Plenary meeting on 25 February 2025. The meeting focused on “Advancing sustainable, inclusive, science and evidence-based solutions for the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals for leaving no one behind”. The statement highlighted the commitment of the global scientific community to advance inclusive, science and evidence-based solutions for sustainability and highlighted the Asia Science Mission for Sustainability.
Future collaboration and partnerships with NIDA, AIT, UNEP, UNESCAP, Asian Development Bank (ADB), Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) are being explored, and parallel bilateral meetings are being held.
