2026 Asia-Pacific SDG Partnership Report—Inclusive Urban Futures: From Inequality to Opportunity
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Publication Type:
Publisher:
Asian Development Bank (ADB)
Publication:
February 2026
This report explores how Asia and the Pacific can harness urbanization to create equitable, inclusive, and sustainable futures.
The Asia and the Pacific is home to more than half of the global urban population—over 2.2 billion people. Although population growth is slowing, an estimated 1.2 billion people, or roughly 48 million annually, are expected to move to the region’s urban areas by 2050.
The report examines how urbanization across the region can become a driver of inclusion rather than inequality. It focuses on three critical areas: access to housing and basic services, employment opportunities, and environmental liveability, offering practical policy solutions and good practices from across the region.
The report includes examples and lessons from Southeast Asia, including solutions on:
- Thailand: housing programs and protections to domestic workers
- Cambodia: waste banks in Battambang province
- Indonesia: public transport and Plasticpay digital platform for waste recycling in Jakarta
- Viet Nam: training urban planners for greener cities
