As part of this assignment, FutureWater undertakes data analysis and is responsible for the presentation of each indicator and monitoring parameter of the Enviroment and Climate Change dimensions of the MRB-IF. Relevant supplementary data and information to illustrate basin conditions and trends are identified, and data gaps are addressed where feasible. FutureWater prepares the key messages (both in textual and visual formats) in self-explanatory and engaging stules, and provides support to MRCS in responding to feedback from MRC Member Countries.

The MRC’s State of the Basin Report (SOBR) is a flagship product of the organization and an integral part of the MRC’s strategic planning cycle. Compiled about every five years based on the available data and information, the report assesses conditions and trends within the basin and the impacts that development and use of water and related natural resources are having. The SOBR provides a statement of past trends and current conditions, and seeks to highlight and provide guidance to Member Countries on significant transboundary issues that require cooperation among basin countries to address. The SOBR 2023 is structured around the Mekong River Basin Indicator Framework, consisting of 5 dimensions: Environment, Social, Economic, Climate Change, and Cooperation.

As a longstanding collaborator of MRCS, FutureWater was engaged to support the development of the Economic and Climate Change chapters of the SOBR 2023 and perform the related activities of data analyses, advisory on data gaps and SOBR content, attractive presentation of key results, and communication with Member Countries and specialized MRCS staff to address their comments and suggestions.