This report describes an evolving policy landscape characterized by a changing economic reality, rising demand for resources, increasingly apparent impacts of environmental and climate change, and increased risk and uncertainty. The report provides new insights into Asian and Pacific resource use trends and outlines key actions, including reforming economic incentives and promoting more inclusive and adaptive governance approaches, that governments can pursue to help bring economic growth strategies in closer alignment with the objective of sustainable development. It also provides examples of strategies for improving resilience to help deal with the increasing levels of risk faced by societies and economies. The report is the product of a combined effort by three institutions: the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). It is the sixth in a series of reports prepared by ESCAP for successive Ministerial Conferences on Environment and Development in Asia and the Pacific, and is the third in ADBs Asian Environment Outlook series. It is also in line with the mandate of UNEP to keep the state of the environment under review. The report provides timely support to policymakers and other stakeholders as they prepare for the 2012 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio +20) and as they continue work to address persistent and emerging challenges on their way to more sustainable development.