With the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) now agreed, the real test of their success lies in their implementation. Over half the world's population now live in cities and by 2050 this will rise to two-thirds. Most of this growth will take place in developing countries due to rising migration from rural areas.

Our planet faces multiple and complex challenges in the 21st century. The new 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development commits the international community to act together to surmount them and transform our world for today’s and future generations.

This paper provides an overview of poverty and well-being trends in India since the mid-1990s. Poverty reduction since 2005 has been much faster than the earlier decade, as a result of broad-based growth across most geographic areas. Underlying this is a pattern of high mobility in economic status that has led to an emerging middle class.

Asia and the Pacific is a dynamic region. Regional megatrends, such as urbanization, economic and trade integration and rising incomes and changing consumption patterns, are transforming its societies and economies while multiplying the environmental challenges.

Water and sanitation, as absolute necessities for people, planet and prosperity, are at the very core of sustainable development.

Three out of four of the jobs worldwide are water-dependent. In fact, water shortages and lack of access may limit economic growth in the years to come, according to the 2016 United Nations World Water Development Report, Water and Jobs, launched on 22 March 2016, World Water Day, in Geneva.

Transforming development by capitalizing on policies and measures that have climate and development co-benefits is the focus of the newly released Asian Co-benefits Partnership’s (ACP) second White Paper.

UNESCO published a report on transboundary water cooperation and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The main message emerging from this new comprehensive global assessment is that premature death and disease can be prevented through healthier environments – and to a significant degree.