The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly disrupted passenger transport in Asian cities. It is accelerating the growth of private car and motorbike use and diminishing the viability of public transport as the backbone of sustainable urban development across Asia in the long run.

The paper lays out a broad framework to reimagine healthcare systems using the digital technologies as one of the core pillars in the Asia-pacific countries. It argues that the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed serious flaws in the design of traditional healthcare systems in both advanced and developing countries of the Asia Pacific.

This study aims to reveal the traditional relationships between various transport modes and discuss how barriers can be broken down to welcome the advent of a new paradigm for smart mobility.

Plastics were first developed in 1907 with the discovery of Bakelite, a synthetic polymer that could be easily massproduced. This invention led to countless innovations and new products as plastics became an essential material of the global economy. In 1989 the world produced about 100 million tonnes (Mt) of plastic every year.

Air pollution is increasingly understood as a global issue, requiring an understanding of pollution sources, transport, and transformation from local to regional to global scales (IPCC, 2013).

India’s economy could prove to be the “most resilient” in the subregion of South and South-West Asia over the long term, according to a report by the UN, which says a positive but lower economic growth post COVID-19 pandemic and the country’s large market will continue to attract investments.

The ways in which human mobilities are viewed have undergone profound changes. Many government measures to contain the COVID-19 pandemic were designed to discourage and even stop people from travelling.

While some countries in the Asia-Pacific region are adapting to climate change, countries with special needs (CSNs) with less resources and capacities face significant challenges implementing adaptation projects. Yet, CSNs are particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts, and most in need of adaptation interventions.

UNESCAP has developed The Sustainable Urban Transport Index (SUTI) to help summarize, track and compare the performance of Asian cities in regards to sustainable urban transport and the related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), more specifically target 11.2.

By this publication, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) offers a regional review of the employment status of persons with disabilities.