Adopted in 2015, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were intended to motivate governments and the international community to address the world’s most pressing social and environmental challenges. However, most countries are not on pace to achieve the SDGs.

This briefing note examines the implications of the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Summit on the Environment (the Summit) held in Bangkok, Thailand, on 5-8 September 2017 on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), air pollution, and resource efficiency.