Future Earth is a 10-year international programme on Earth system research for global sustainability. The goal of Future Earth is to provide the knowledge required for societies in the world to face risks posed by global environmental change and seize opportunities in a transition to sustainability. While the scope of Future Earth is global, a number of issues requires region-specific approaches. The Future Earth Regional Workshop for Asia and the Pacific was organised as a first step to look at a regional approach for Future Earth and as part of a broader consultation process. The workshop was effective in building an understanding of Future Earth among participants, providing information on current initiatives and developing a common vision for Future Earth in the region. The key recommendations made at the workshop refer to the coordination and convergence of activities under Future Earth. These include the needed learning and capacity development initiatives, and elements of science-policy and stakeholder interfaces required to make Future Earth a success. The Asia-Pacific region has the capacity to drive the transition towards global sustainability under the Future Earth programme. Its scientific community is ready to make the change to support integrated research that can build new ways to engage developed and less developed countries and help ensure socially-inclusive and environmentally-sound development.