This report recognises that, in recent years, development pressures have increased as a result of growing populations and expanding economies. Whilst living conditions within the basin generally are rapidly improving, this has come at some considerable cost to the environment. Key areas of concern that require our specific attention are the seemingly permanent modification of mainstream flow regime, the substantial reduction in sediment flows due to sediment trapping, the continuing loss of wetlands, the deterioration of riverine habitats and the growing pressures on capture fisheries. At present, although temperature and sea level rise are the only discernible impacts of climate change within the basin thus far, I am pleased to note that Member Countries are actively putting measures in place to address the predicted future changes. This report also recognises that use of the water and natural resources within the basin is giving rise to substantial economic benefits. At present, we should take note that these are not equally shared as some Member Countries have only recently started to develop their potential. Concerns naturally exist, however, at the evident trade-offs between some of these developments and their negative impacts upon the environment.

http://www.mrcmekong.org/assets/Publications/SOBR-Summary-06Feb2020.pdf