Agriculture Rural Development and Forestry
Executive summary
The Asia and the Pacific SDG Progress Report 2024 provides an overview of current progress towards the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their 169 targets in the Asia-Pacific region. The report shines the spotlight on success stories and trends and the unique challenges faced in the different parts of the region. It draws out priorities and opportunities for enhancing data availability on SDG indicators especially for the most vulnerable population groups which could help to shape more equitable and inclusive development pathways.
Acknowledgements
The Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL) the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and the International Trade Centre (ITC) are very grateful to the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) for its financial support of the global data collection on voluntary sustainability standards and the production of this publication.
National trends and transformative actions
The success stories of individual countries demonstrate strategies to strengthen both data systems and policies to improve biodiversity and nature conservation public digital infrastructure social protection and access to education. Examples in this chapter from around the region illustrate these strengths. The integrated approach to climate change adaptation mitigation and marine and coastal biodiversity conservation in Maldives serves as a holistic model for climate action in SIDS. The establishment of national environmental portals in 14 Pacific SIDS highlights the value of enhancing regional collaboration and partnerships underpinning a much broader sustainable development effort.
Selected commodities grew, but slowly
This chapter examines the harvested area and the production volume of the selected commodities on an aggregate level. As multiple certification remains an issue for some commodities global totals were computed by adding the country minimums (leading to a global minimum value for each commodity) the country maximums (leading to a global maximum value for each commodity) and the country minimum–maximum averages (leading to a global average value for each commodity).
Project partners
The International Trade Centre (ITC) founded in 1964 is the joint agency of the World Trade Organization and the United Nations. Its aim is for businesses in developing countries to become more competitive in global markets to speed up economic development and to contribute to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Acknowledgments
The Asia and the Pacific SDG Progress Report 2023 was prepared by the Statistics Division of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) under the overall guidance of Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of ESCAP and Lin Yang Deputy Executive Secretary of ESCAP with support from the Editorial Board of ESCAP. Rachael Joanne Beaven Director of the Statistics Division provides overall leadership in preparation of this flagship publication.
Consumption trends for certified products
This chapter highlights specific consumption trends affecting eight agricultural commodities that are increasingly grown under voluntary sustainability standards. It explores social economic and cultural characteristics and differences among consumers and identifies opportunities to boost demand for sustainable products worldwide.
Regional progress
Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Asia and the Pacific will take an extraordinary collective effort. On its current trajectory the region will not meet any of the 17 goals by 2030. Stepping up climate action stands out as an immediate priority across the region as does working to reduce the inequalities that impact women and girls populations in rural areas and the urban poor. Small island developing States face the steepest climb as the progress they had made was lost to the impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and they continue to lag behind the rest of the region after two years of recovery.
Executive summary
The concept of a ‘sustainability standard’ has evolved from a mere buzzword into a crucial pillar of global trade. Sustainability standards are important in international trade due to their role in promoting ethical business conduct preparing businesses for upcoming mandatory regulations fostering harmonization in global trade and driving innovation. As the world continues to prioritize sustainability these standards serve as a potential framework upon which a more environmentally conscious and socially responsible global economy can be built.
Foreword
Can sustainability standards help suppliers traders and brands in the fast-moving world of trade?
Foreword
In 2024 we are at a critical juncture in our efforts to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. As the global economy recovers from the pandemic resilience is required to confront ongoing crises and increasingly severe natural disasters and the Asia and the Pacific SDG Progress Report 2024 shines a spotlight on the challenges we must overcome to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Methodology
The data presented in this report were obtained either directly from the standard-setting organizations or indirectly from published annual reports and other literature. For organic agriculture data were gathered from private-sector organizations governments and certification bodies as part of the annual FiBL survey on organic agriculture worldwide (Willer et al. 2023). The data collection process voluntary sustainability standards indicators and commodities covered as well as the quality checks carried out.
Asia and the Pacific SDG Progress Report 2024
The Asia and the-Pacific SDG Progress Report 2024 is one of the annual flagship publications of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). It provides an overview of SDG Progress in the region which serves as a foundation for many other activities conducted by ESCAP and our partners. This year the report shines the spotlight on success stories and trends and the unique challenges faced in the different parts of the region. It draws out the priorities and opportunities for enhancing data availability on SDG indicators especially for the most vulnerable population groups which could help shape more equitable and inclusive development pathways strategies.
The State of Sustainable Markets 2023
The International Trade Centre has teamed up once again with the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture and the International Institute for Sustainable Development to provide data about 14 major sustainability standards for bananas cocoa coffee cotton oil palm soybeans sugarcane tea and forestry products. This year’s report adds data from 2021 and finds that slow growth resumed after a dip in 2020. The publication helps shape decisions of policymakers producers and businesses working to address systemic labour and environmental challenges through certified sustainable production.
Development of the selected standards
This chapter examines the selected sustainability standards on an aggregate level taking into account the full range of commodities each standard certified (and not only the selected nine commodities covered in this report). For this purpose this chapter focuses on variables for which an aggregation across commodities is meaningful namely a standard’s certified area and its producers/certificate holders.