Best management practices and nature-based solutions are central to reducing nutrient pollution and preventing marine hypoxia. The Clean and Healthy Ocean Integrated Program (CHO-IP) promotes evidence-based, locally adapted and cost-effective interventions that reduce the input, transport and impact of excess nutrients, particularly nitrogen and phosphorus, from human activities into aquatic, coastal and marine ecosystems. These practices help countries and partners move from diagnosis to action by identifying practical solutions that can be implemented across agriculture, municipal systems, industry, watersheds and coastal ecosystems. 

Building a Shared Best Management Practice Framework 

The program supports the development of a shared Best Management Practice framework that helps country projects, regional partners and investors identify, compare and apply solutions for nutrient reduction and hypoxia mitigation. The framework emphasizes scientific validation, feasibility, cost-effectiveness, local adaptation, gender responsiveness and social inclusion. It helps ensure that recommended practices are not only technically sound, but also realistic to implement, maintain and scale in different ecological, socio-economic and institutional contexts. 

Nature-Based Solutions for Nutrient Reduction 

Nature-based solutions are an important part of the CHO-IP approach because they work with natural processes to reduce nutrient loads, improve water quality and strengthen ecosystem resilience. Practices such as wetland restoration, riparian buffers, vegetated drainage systems, coastal habitat restoration, stormwater biofilters and green infrastructure can capture, retain, transform or remove nutrients before they reach downstream coastal and marine ecosystems. These solutions also generate multiple benefits, including flood regulation, biodiversity conservation, carbon storage, shoreline protection, improved livelihoods and enhanced recreational and cultural values. 

Supporting Uptake Across Sectors 

CHOIP supports the uptake of best management practices across the sectors most closely linked to nutrient pollution. In agriculture, this includes practices that improve nutrient management, reduce over-fertilization and minimize runoff. In municipal and urban systems, it includes green infrastructure, stormwater management and the safe reuse of treated wastewater. In industry and wastewater management, it includes advanced nutrient removal and improved effluent controls. In coastal ecosystems, it includes restoration approaches that enhance nutrient uptake, denitrification and ecosystem recovery. By connecting these practices to policy reform, investment planning, technical guidance and knowledge exchange, the program helps partners identify which solutions are most appropriate for their local conditions. 

Inclusive and Gender-Responsive Implementation 

The BMP framework also emphasizes that effective practices must be gender-responsive and socially inclusive. CHO-IP therefore supports approaches that recognize the differentiated roles, needs, constraints and knowledge of women and men, as well as the barriers faced by different stakeholder groups in adopting new practices. Inclusive design helps ensure that solutions are accessible to smallholders, local communities, women-led enterprises, youth, Indigenous Peoples, civil society organizations and other stakeholders who play important roles in reducing nutrient pollution and restoring ecosystem health.