Welcome to the Clean and Healthy Ocean Integrated Programme
Actions on land directly affect ocean health. The GEF-8 Clean and Healthy Ocean Integrated Program (CHO-IP) takes a source-to-sea approach to address nutrient-driven marine hypoxia where it starts. The program addresses the entire continuum—from farms, cities, and industries, through rivers and coastal zones, to Large Marine Ecosystems (LMEs)—ensuring that upstream interventions deliver measurable benefits downstream.
Led by the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Asian Development Bank (ADB), Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF) and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and implemented in partnership with Conservation International (CI), Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Bank (IBRD), the CHO-IP mobilizes over USD 109 million in GEF financing and USD 821 million in co-financing. The program contributes to sustainable blue economies while generating ecological, social, and economic benefits for across 13 countries and 11 LMEs.
Our expected impact
The portfolio is expected to restore more than 93 000 ha of ecosystems, place over 1.3 million ha of landscapes and 10.5 million ha of marine habitat under improved practices, improve management across more than 311 000 ha of terrestrial protected areas and 414 000 marine protected areas, mitigate approximately 9.6 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, and directly benefit nearly 526 000 people while strengthening regional and global cooperation on ocean health.
The Global Coordination Project
The Global Coordination Project (GCP) of the GEF-8 Clean and Healthy Ocean Integrated Program (CHOIP) enhances the effectiveness, coherence, and impact of the overall program by supporting 13 country projects working to address nutrient-driven marine hypoxia through a source-to-sea approach. The GCP strengthens collaboration across the continuum from farms, cities, and industries to rivers, coastal zones, and Large Marine Ecosystems (LMEs), ensuring that national interventions generate lasting regional and global benefits.
Country Projects
The Clean and Healthy Oceans Integrated Program (CHOIP) engages thirteen countries (Grenada, Madagascar, Maldives, Mexico, Moldova, Panama, Peru, Sri Lanka, St. Kitts and Nevis, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela, Vietnam), representing nine Large Marine Ecosystems (LMEs). Each Country Project contributes to the overall goals of the program and advances solutions to address fundamental barriers through a complimentary set of components, outputs, and activities adapted to local conditions and targeting national priorities.
Latest news
News
FAO Director-General hails collaboration with Global Environment Facility and partners to achieve a clean and healthy ocean
09/11/2026
QU Dongyu addresses launch of the Clean and Healthy Ocean Integrated Program, calling for concerted action
News
"Lightning in a box" sets sail for the Maldives to turn sewage into fertilizer and help protect coral reefs
03/11/2026
What if sewage could become a resource rather than a threat to fragile coral reefs? On the Maldivian island of Thoddoo, an innovative solution inspired...
News
CHOIP @ the 25th Annual Large Marine Ecosystems Consultative Meeting
22/07/2026
The Clean and Healthy Ocean Integrated Program (CHOIP) actively participated in the 25th Annual Large Marine Ecosystems Consultative Meeting (LME25),...
Events
11/1
2027
22/1
2027
BBNJ Agreement COP 1
New York (United States), 11/01/2027 - 22/01/2027
8/12
2026
10/12
2026
UN Water Conference
Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates), 08/12/2026 - 10/12/2026
The 2026 United Nations Water Conference will be co-hosted by Senegal and the United Arab Emirates and is intended to accelerate implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 6 on clean water and sanitation.
10/11
2026
12/11
2026
CHO-IP Global Launch and GCP Inception Workshop
Rome (Italy), 10/11/2026 - 12/11/2026
This three day event is dedicated to the Global Launch of the CHO-IP and the Global Coordination Project Inception Workshop.
In partnership with
