In the latest Asia and the Pacific SDG Progress Report 2026 of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), Philippines and other Asia-Pacific countries lacked adequate measured targets to track the progress for UN Sustainable Development Goal #13 on Climate Action.

According to the UNESCAP report, many countries in the Asia-Pacific region have less than a third of their targets sufficiently measured for Climate Action, indicating a regression in the region’s climate action efforts. 

In Southeast Asia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Laos, Singapore, and Myanmar remain undermeasured in tracking their progress on Climate Action, while in Brunei, fewer than 25% of the measured targets show positive trends.

However, neighboring countries such as Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Timor-Leste have between 50% and 75% of their measured targets showing positive trends in their Climate Action efforts.

Only climate action and gender equality measures were lacking in the Philippines, but for the remaining 15 SDGs, the country had 50% to 75% or more of the targets measured by the UN.

The SGD Climate Action comprises five targets including resilience & adaptive capacity, climate change policies, climate change awareness, UNFCCC commitments and climate change planning and management. 

As 2030 approaches, UNESCAP hopes for faster and more coordinated action across the region, with most of the 17 SDGs still falling short of their targets.

“Since 2015, progress has been made, but none of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals are fully on track”, UNESCAP said.

The organization also noted that the Asia-Pacific region will miss 103 of the 117 measurable targets.

“Existing data show that the region is on track to achieve only 14 targets by 2030, with seven SDGs having no targets on track”, the UN regional entity also stated in their 2026 annual report.

Among the 14 measurable targets in the Asia-Pacific region that have maintained progress toward achieving the SDGs by 2030 are international and national poverty reduction (SDG 1 – No Poverty); maternal and child mortality (SDG 3 – Good Health and Well-Being); technology for women’s empowerment (SDG 5 – Gender Equality); international cooperation on energy (SDG 7 – Affordable and Clean Energy); aid for trade (SDG 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth); access to ICT and the internet (SDG 9 – Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure); special and differential treatment (SDG 10 – Reduced Inequalities); housing and basic services (SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities); resources for biodiversity, ecosystem and forest management, and terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems (SDG 15 – Life on Land); and reduction of violence and related deaths and effective institutions (SDG 16 – Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions).