Adopted by world leaders in 2015, the 17 SDGs aim to end extreme poverty and hunger, expand access to clean water and sanitation, ensure quality education and tackle climate change by the end of the decade.

ESCAP described the findings as a “stark contradiction”: while millions have been lifted out of poverty and access to electricity has expanded rapidly, environmental pressures are intensifying and inequality remains entrenched.

Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, ESCAP’s Executive Secretary and a UN undersecretary-general, said the growth model that fuelled rapid industrialisation is now undermining the region’s future.

“The very engines of growth that once lifted millions out of poverty and fuelled rapid industrialization are now undermining our future,” she said, urging countries to pursue development that is “smarter, healthier and more just.”

The sharpest setbacks are in environmental goals. Progress on climate action, marine conservation and biodiversity is not only stalling but reversing, the report found.

Where Asia-Pacific is lagging behind

Greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise, while the Red List Index shows accelerating species loss. Marine ecosystems are deteriorating, sustainable fisheries are shrinking and freshwater systems are under mounting stress.

Urban resilience is also weakening. Although many governments have adopted disaster risk reduction strategies, the human and economic toll of disasters is increasing, exposing a gap between planning and preparedness.

Health outcomes have improved, with sustained declines in maternal, neonatal and under-five mortality. Income poverty has fallen significantly over the past decades, and near-universal mobile network coverage has supported advances in industry and infrastructure .

However, inequality remains persistent. Labour income shares are declining, labour rights compliance is slipping and informal employment and weak youth job prospects continue to pose challenges. Education access has expanded, but minimum proficiency in reading and mathematics is deteriorating.

While 55% of SDG indicators in Asia-Pacific now have sufficient data for assessment — above the global average — gaps in gender equality and governance data limit policymakers’ ability to track progress among vulnerable groups.

With five years remaining to the 2030 deadline, ESCAP said incremental change will not be enough: “Our current development trajectory is unsustainable, and the window for corrective action is closing rapidly.”

He argued that Indonesia ’s steady growth, which is above 5% annually over the past decade, inflation at around 2%, and a deficit below 3% of GDP, reflects deliberate choices.

“Peace and stability in my country did not happen by chance or by luck; it happened because we chose unity over fragmentation and collaboration over confrontation,” he said.

$1 trillion sovereign wealth bet

A major highlight of his speech was the launch of Danantara Indonesia, a sovereign wealth fund with $1 trillion in assets under management. “Danantara means the energy to power the future of Indonesia, and it is designed to finance and co-finance the industries of the future that will transform our economy,” Prabowo explained.

He pledged to overhaul the country’s vast network of state-owned enterprises to meet the highest international standards, adding that foreign professionals would be allowed to lead firms where necessary to attract “the best brains and the best minds in the world.”

Framing Indonesia as a co-investment partner rather than a passive recipient of capital, he declared: “With Danantara, Indonesia can now stand before you as an equal partner, ready to grow with you and create shared prosperity.”

Social policy as economic strategy

Prabowo described Indonesia’s large-scale social programmes as economic investments rather than political gestures. On the nationwide free nutritious meals programme serving nearly 60 million people daily, he said: “This is not a populist programme. It is a rational productivity programme that strengthens our children, supports our small enterprises and improves the long-term health of our nation.”

The initiative has incorporated more than 61,000 micro, small and medium enterprises into its supply chain. “By strengthening human capital and empowering our small businesses, we are laying the foundation for growth that is inclusive and sustainable,” he said.

On education, he underscored efforts to break generational poverty through new boarding schools and digital upgrades. “I am determined to cut the chain of poverty so that the son of a poor farmer or street vendor will not be condemned to the same fate, but will have equal opportunity to rise,” Prabowo stated.

Rule of law and anti-corruption drive

He also argued that legal certainty is central to investor confidence. “There is no investment climate without the certainty of equitable rule of law, because no serious investor will commit capital in a country where laws are ignored or selectively applied,” he said.

In his first year, the government confiscated millions of hectares of illegal plantations and mines and shut down around 1,000 illegal mining operations. Describing entrenched corruption as “greedonomics,” he said: “We cannot allow the economics of greed and rapacious practices to undermine our democracy , our environment and the future of our children.”

He added a direct warning to corrupt actors: “I challenge anyone who believes that Indonesian officials can be bought to test that assumption under my administration, because they will find that we are serious about clean government.”

Trade, integration and the Global South

Prabowo rejected protectionism and reaffirmed Indonesia’s commitment to fair trade integration. “We do not pursue trade agreements because they are fashionable, but because we believe fair integration into the global economy is a tool for prosperity and not a threat to sovereignty,” he said.

On Indonesia’s foreign policy posture, he said: “Indonesia chooses peace over chaos, friendship over enmity, and we believe that one thousand friends are too few while one enemy is one too many.”

Indonesia is preparing to host an Ocean Impact Summit in Bali, and Prabowo was confident that Indonesia aims to play a more assertive role from within the Global South.

Watch the full speech here: 

New support has been announced for rugby development across Samoa, Fiji and Tonga, highlighting the continued importance of the sport to Pacific identity, youth engagement and regional cooperation. The assistance is aimed at strengthening grassroots structures as well as elite pathways, ensuring that rugby continues to provide opportunities for social development, international representation and economic activity across the three island nations.

Veteran journalist raises concerns over Samoa’s proposed media rules

A senior journalist in Samoa, Autagavaia Tipi Autagavaia, has publicly questioned proposed changes to media regulations, warning that they could have implications for press freedom and journalistic independence. The concerns centre on how the new rules may affect reporting standards, oversight and the ability of the media to operate without undue restriction, sparking broader debate about transparency and democratic safeguards in the country.

Prime Minister calls for human rights to be part of everyday life in Samoa

Samoa’s Prime Minister La’aulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao Fosi Schmidt has urged citizens and institutions to treat human rights not as abstract principles but as values embedded in daily life. The call emphasises respect, inclusion and accountability across society, reinforcing the government’s commitment to aligning national development with fundamental rights and social justice.

Samoa releases its updated national climate plan

The Samoan government has released an updated national climate plan, outlining revised strategies to address climate change, resilience and sustainability. The plan reflects the country’s vulnerability to rising sea levels and extreme weather, while setting out policy priorities for adaptation, emissions reduction and international climate cooperation.

Prime minister meets with doctors and nurses on health sector priorities

The Prime Minister La’aulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao Fosi Schmidt has held discussions with doctors and nurses to address key issues within Samoa’s health sector. The meeting focused on workforce conditions, service delivery and strengthening healthcare systems, underscoring the government’s focus on improving public health outcomes and supporting frontline medical professionals.

According to court documents, McKechnie argued that he has a right to eat Vegemite because it constitutes “his culture as an Australian.” 

His complaint specifically points to Victoria’s human rights charter, which affirms that no person should be denied the opportunity to “enjoy their culture.”

The Vegemite ban inside Victoria’s jails is not new and has been in place since 2006. 

The restriction was put in place over concerns that the yeast-laden spread could be used to ferment and brew makeshift alcoholic drinks, often referred to as “pruno” or “hooch.”

Additionally, the sticky paste of Vegemite is listed as a banned item because inmates could allegedly smear it across contraband to mask its smell from prison sniffer dogs.

The spread holds a significant cultural place in Australia. It was first created in Melbourne in the early 1920s as a substitute for British Marmite during wartime shortages. 

In 2022, a Melbourne council even declared that the distinctive smell emanating from a local Vegemite factory held “significant” heritage value.

The lawsuit brings international attention to the highly polarizing spread.

In 2018, Vegemite was featured at Sweden’s “Disgusting Food Museum,” ranking alongside items like fermented herrings and maggot-infested cheese.

Covering about 63 million square miles (163 million km²), roughly one‑third of Earth’s surface, the Pacific Ocean is big enough to fit all the world’s landmasses and still leave spare space. It’s not just wide; it stretches about 12,300 miles (19,800 km) from west to east.

Average depths sink to 3,682 m (12,080 ft) and plunge to nearly 11,000 m (36,000 ft) in the Challenger Deep, far deeper than Mount Everest is tall. Altogether, the ocean holds roughly half of the world’s ocean water , with a volume estimated at 714 million km³.

The Pacific isn’t a blank blue expanse: it contains around 25,000 islands, more than any other ocean. These islands fall into three broad regions: Micronesia, Melanesia and Polynesia, and range from towering volcanic peaks to low coral atolls.

Plate tectonics carved this basin from a prehistoric super‑ocean called Panthalassa, and the Pacific continues to evolve as its margins slowly shrink by about an inch a year, feeding the volatile “Ring of Fire” that rings its rim.

On flat maps, the Pacific often seems modest because cartographers compress it between continents. The overlay from World in Maps corrects that impression by showing how much blue remains after the continents are dropped in.

Recognising the ocean’s true scale underscores its global importance: it regulates climate, hosts a vast web of life and supports millions of people. Protecting it from overfishing, pollution, and climate change isn’t just an environmental cause but a necessity for the planet we all share.

"There is a lot of damage. The branches hit each other and broke. After the rain, there was flooding. The river rose, submerged everything, and the trees died. During the storm, we propped the trees back up. The next day, they were flooded again. This year, it's a total loss. No harvest," she said.

Do Thi Hoa, further counting her losses shared with AFP "It’s heartbreaking because I’ve put in so much effort since the beginning of the year. Money for pesticides and labour. So much money was spent with the hope of a harvest by the end of the year. Now, with this loss, everyone in the village is worried. "

Beyond the destruction of the farms, the human cost of Typhoon Yagi is equally tragic. As of Friday, September 13, 233 people have been reported dead with many more injured or missing.

In Port Moresby, preparations for the visit are in full swing. The city’s streets have been cleaned, vendors moved, and yellow-and-white Holy See flags, fluttering in the Coral Sea breeze, are displayed along lamp posts.

During his visit, the Pope will spend four days and three nights in the country, addressing bishops, meeting street children, travelling to a remote jungle area, and celebrating mass for tens of thousands of followers.

Among the pilgrims is a group of 43 who trekked over 200 kilometres from the north coast to Port Moresby, traversing dense jungle and rugged terrain.

The visit is seen as a significant moment for Papua New Guinea, a country struggling with social issues such as domestic abuse, witch hunts, and tribal violence. Human Rights Watch has highlighted Papua New Guinea as one of the most dangerous places for women and girls, with 80 per cent of women experiencing violence. In the Highlands, accusations of sorcery often lead to deadly witch hunts. Many hope the Pope's visit will bring attention to these issues and inspire change.

The church plays a key role in providing healthcare, education, and welfare in Papua New Guinea, filling gaps left by the state. The citizens are hopeful that the pope’s presence will foster peace and unity in the country.

"We really need to ensure that we continue to push for action from countries that are the most polluting," Tuvalu Climate Minister Maina Talia told AFP on the sidelines of the summit.

The forum is advocating for a regional climate adaptation fund, dependent on international support, and is calling for a swift transition away from fossil fuels, which are seen as the primary cause of climate disasters.

"The decisions world leaders take in the coming years will determine the fate, first of Pacific Islanders, and then everyone else," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, making a rare visit to the summit said.

The 18-member Pacific Islands Forum is also experiencing internal divisions, as its member countries disagree on how to handle China's growing security presence and ambitions in the region.

Australia's meteorology bureau warned of potential further intensification on Friday, not ruling out the possibility of Jasper becoming a Category 5 system.

Situated 1,195 kilometers (742 miles) northeast of Queensland and moving south at 9 kph (6 mph), Jasper's projected path suggests it could make landfall near Cairns, a city with a population of 250,000, by early Tuesday. However, forecasters caution that the storm's trajectory may still change.

The unusual early arrival of the cyclone coincides with El Niño, a climate pattern originating in the Pacific Ocean, known to reduce rainfall along Australia's east coast and impact global weather patterns.

Simultaneously, heat warnings have been issued across several states and territories, including New South Wales (NSW), where over 8 million people reside. Sydney, the capital of NSW, is forecasted to experience temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) on Saturday, exacerbated by strong, dry winds.

Some schools in Sydney closed on Friday, and parts of NSW were under a total fire ban due to an elevated risk of bushfires. In South Australia, a "catastrophic" fire rating was issued, indicating a high likelihood of significant loss of lives and properties if a fire occurs.

Extreme fire danger ratings were also in place in parts of New South Wales and Victoria. While the heat is expected to abate somewhat by the end of the weekend, Australia remains highly susceptible to the impacts of climate change, characterized by frequent heatwaves, extreme rainfall, and devastating bushfires.

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Luxon expressed gratitude for the public's patience, noting policy compromises made by each party. The government aims to alleviate the cost of living, provide tax relief, enhance prosperity, and enhance law and order for the safety of citizens.

The leaders have committed to public service cuts, the training of 500 additional police within two years, and a shift in the Reserve Bank's mandate to focus solely on maintaining low inflation.

The deputy prime minister position will be shared between Winston Peters of the New Zealand First Party and David Seymour of the ACT Party, with Peters holding the role for the initial 18 months before passing it to Seymour. Peters, known for his contentious relationship with the media, criticized certain reporters.

“Look, please don’t start off this government with your antagonistic attitude,” he said, grinning, in response to one reporter’s question. “You’ve lost. You lost. Right?” said Peters, explaining that he does not anticipate any alterations to New Zealand's existing foreign policy regarding China.

While New Zealand relies on China for the purchase of a significant portion of its agricultural exports, it has also voiced escalating apprehension about China's heightened assertiveness in the Pacific region.

Seymour, set to assume the newly established position of regulation minister, expressed the view that the nation had been heading in an unfavorable direction under the preceding liberal government. He cited increasing prices, crime rates, and societal divisions as key concerns.

“We must now draw a line under that and work to ensure New Zealanders have hope that a government can, indeed, deliver better public services and return for their hard-earned taxes,” Seymour said.

In New Zealand's proportional voting system, alliances are typically necessary for parties to secure a governing majority.

Initially, on election night, the closely aligned National and ACT parties had just enough votes for governance. However, a final count, incorporating special votes, altered the landscape and led to more challenging three-way negotiations.

Chris Hipkins, the outgoing Prime Minister, had already conceded to Luxon on election night after deciding not to work with Winston Peters. Hipkins, who heads the liberal Labour Party, held the top position for a mere nine months, succeeding Jacinda Ardern, who unexpectedly stepped down in January, citing insufficient energy to fulfill the role adequately.

Ardern had won the previous election in a landslide, but her popularity declined as fatigue with COVID-19 restrictions grew, and inflation posed a threat to the economy.

Authorities are investigating the cause of the fire, and temperatures in Perth were expected to peak at an unusually high 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) on Thursday.

“Perth is experiencing … heat wave conditions. So overlay that on top of the fire and you can imagine the conditions that our firefighters and our support staff are working on. It’s really challenging,” Kuchel told the Australian Broadcasting Corp.

“Whilst we’re building containment lines on this fire, the conditions and the environment are such that even if we contain it, it may not be contained all the time. There may be breakouts. So it’s a really challenging and dynamic environment.”

Power poles suffered damage, leaving 544 homes without electricity on Thursday. Approximately 130 individuals sought shelter in an evacuation center overnight on Wednesday, according to Western Australia Deputy Premier Rita Saffioti.

“The forecast for today is unforgiving. The temperature is expected to hit a maximum of 40 degrees, and the winds continue to be strong. Today will be a difficult day for everybody.”

Klemm mentioned that it would take several days for the 150 firefighters combatting the blaze to gain control over it.

In Tapping, a northern suburb of Perth, Sarah Kilian and her husband chose to remain and protect their home throughout Wednesday night. Kilian noted that the majority of her neighbors evacuated as embers descended on their homes.

“Lucky my hubby stomped them out,” Kilian said. “It was just scary all night — absolutely chaotic.”

Numerous wildfires have swept through New South Wales, Victoria, and Tasmania in the wake of Australia experiencing its driest September on record and unseasonably warm conditions, leading to an early onset of the annual wildfire season that typically peaks during the Southern Hemisphere summer.

The koala faces the ominous prediction of becoming extinct in the wild in New South Wales by 2050, with major threats including wildfires, habitat loss through logging, and land clearing for development. It has already been declared endangered in several states.

A 2022 government report revealed that Australia has lost more mammal species than any other continent.

Established in 2019, Bangalow Koalas has planted over 336,000 trees on 119 properties, contributing significantly to koala conservation and enhancing the local ecosystem. The group, relying on community volunteers, aims to plant 500,000 trees by 2025.

A recent report by the Australian Koala Foundation stated that the iconic marsupial is estimated to contribute $3.2 billion annually to the tourism industry.

However, the World Wildlife Fund – Australia reported alarming declines in koala populations, with a 50% drop in Queensland and a 62% drop in New South Wales since 2001.