Transformation towards sustainable and resilient societies in Asia and the Pacific

People across the Asia-Pacific region live with diverse and interlinked risks. These risks are related to increasingly severe and complex shocks to the political, social, economic and ecological systems that underpin human development. The impacts of such shocks often fall disproportionately on the most marginalized groups and communities, and so have the potential to undermine the region’s potential for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The region’s resilience must be tapped more effectively to deal with this complex risk landscape. Resilience enables individuals, communities and systems to survive, adapt and grow in the face of stress and shocks; to convert risks into opportunities; and to transform when conditions require it. This report presents a three-step approach for incorporating resilience thinking into policymaking to build resilience capacity. The approach: (1) identifies risks; (2) explores the potential impacts on human systems and vulnerable groups; and (3) identifies policies and institutional responses that build these resilience capacities.