1. SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT
STRATEGIES IN
ASIA & PACIFIC REGION:
Status, Challenges,
and Lessons for SDG
Implementation
Ella S. Antonio

2. Strategy formulation in Asia & Pacific has reached
some level of maturity
SD Plan/Strategy Country
Majority
NSDS (Long-Term)
(No info: North Korea, SIDS)
Poverty Reduction Strategy Almost all developing and poor
Paper countries
Socio-Economic; Environment &
Almost all.
Similar Plan (Medium-Term)
Specialized Plans (CC; GG; GE) Many
Sector plans All

3. But the NSDS formulation and implementation
remain extremely challenged
 The SD concept and its operationalization are still not quite
understood and implemented
 Conventional development strategy is no longer
compatible with emerging realities; inter-linkages (e.g.
among energy, food and financial markets) must be given
more attention
 Perspectives and strategies for long term sustainability are
compromised by short-term priorities and sidelined during
crises. Short- or medium-term plans are preferred
 Leadership changes & international agreements tend to
redirect strategies or produce new ones (e.g. GG/GE; CC)

4. Challenges
 Implementation is hampered by lack of
ownership and support due to weaknesses in the
formulation process, e.g.:
 Some were produced only for compliance or use of
available external funding
 Lacks participation.
 Enabling or support mechanisms are generally
not in place:
Investment program; Budget support (not normally
linked to budgeting); Legislative agenda, Research
Agenda; M&E system, etc.

5. Challenges
 Coherence, integration and internal consistency remain
weak horizontally and vertically
 The tendency to formulate strategies for each
pillar/dimension remains strong
 Regional, sub-regional, national & local strategies are
disconnected & do not inform each other. Existing
strategies have limited coordination and consistency
 Appropriate/Working institutional mechanisms are
generally not in place
 A communication program for formulation and
implementation is not given attention
 An M&E system with appropriate indicators &
assessment methodology is sometimes not in place

6. Points to Ponder
1. With all the challenges it faces, how
prepared is AsPac for the
development and pursuit of SDGs?
2. Does AsPac have what it takes to
develop and pursue SDGs?
3. What does AsPac need to respond
to the SDG challenge?

7.  Pillars:
 good governance
 sustainable socio-economic
 One Index
development  33 indicators
 cultural preservation
 environmental conservation
Psychologica
l Wellbeing
• Life satisfaction
• Positive
Living emotions Health
Standards • Negative • Mental health
emotions
• Assets • Self reported
• Spirituality health status
• Housing
• Household per • Healthy days
capita income • Disability
Gross
Ecological
Diversity and
Resilience
Time Use
GNH
• Ecological Issues
• Environmental • Work
responsibility • Sleep
National • Wildlife damage
• Urbanization
issues
Community
Vitality Education
Happiness • Donations (time
& money)
• Community
relationship
Good Cultural
• Literacy
• Schooling
• Knowledge
• Value
• Family
• Safety Governance Diversity and
• Govt Resilience
performance • Speak native
• Fundamental Language
rights • Cultural
• Services Participation
Center for Bhutan Studies • Political • Artistic Skills
Participation • Driglam Namzha

8. China Agenda 21
China’s Circular  Goals:
Economy  national economic
development
 Goal: Green consumption  increased social productivity
and production  enhanced overall national
 Resource efficiency strength
 Less GHG  improved quality of life
 Minimized waste
esa.un.org

9. SD Strategies of Republic of Korea
National SD Strategy Green Growth Strategy
 Goal: Secure National SD  Goal: A Global Green Leader
Capability Commensurate
 Strategies
with G20 Status
 Climate Change Response
 Strategies  Reduce GHG; Energy
 Adaptation to Climate Change independence; Adapt to CC
and Response Mechanism  New Growth Engines
 Improve sustainability of  Develop green technology; Green
economic & industrial the industry sector; Advance
structure industrial structure; Establish
foundation for GG
 Promote social equity and
public health  Quality of Life
 Enhance sustainability of ENR  Green space & transportation;
Green revolution in life; Global
 Indicators: 77 model on GG

10. Thailand
 Eradication of Poverty
 Ensuring competitiveness of economy
 Improving social development
 Ensuring good governance
 Ensuring clean and health environment

11. National Philippine Agenda 21
 A viable and vibrant economy that
SD Goals significantly reduces poverty & inequality
 A social system that develops self-reliance
 Abundant, healthy and well-managed
Papua archipelagic ecosystem
 Responsive, accountable and responsive
New Guinea government
 Integral Human
Development
 Equality and
Vietnam
NSDS Goal
Participation
 Industrialized country by 2020
 National Sovereignty
and self reliance
GG Goal
 NR and the  Green growth and low carbon economy
environment mainstream of sustainable economic
development and strengthen social
economic development.

12. Responses to Questions
1. AsPac readiness to develop, adopt and pursue SDGs
varies widely among countries. Prepared countries are a
minority
2. Only some AsPac countries have what it takes to
develop and pursue SDGs
 Countries are very clear about their goals but have limited
capability to attain them
 A few have defined and adapted SD to their aspirations and
culture and contributed to the global body of knowledge
 Many introduced innovations, shifted towards thematic
(integrated) strategy formulation, and develop indicators and
measurement systems

13. Responses to Questions
3. Following are proposed to be undertaken to help AsPac face
the SDG challenge:
 Carefully understand the NSDS formulation and
implementation situation, strengths and weaknesses
 Reformulate/Recalibrate/Fine-Tune NSDS taking into
account lessons from precedng bullet
 Harmonize goals and strategies
 Reform the institutional framework at the national level and
complement this with reforms in other levels.

14. Thank You.
“if the Government cannot create
happiness for its people, then there is
no purpose for government to exist.”
Bhutan Legal Code of 1629