Reliable data are essential for understanding where marine hypoxia is occurring, what is driving it, and which actions can most effectively reduce nutrient pollution from agriculture, industry and municipal systems. The Clean and Healthy Ocean Integrated Program (CHO-IP) strengthens the quality, management and availability of scientific and technical data needed by decision-makers at national, regional and global levels. This work focuses on improving the monitoring of dissolved oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, dissolved organic matter and related indicators of eutrophication and coastal ecosystem health, so that countries and Large Marine Ecosystem partners can better identify pollution/hypoxiahotspots, establish ecological baselines, track trends and assess the effectiveness of interventions.
The CHO-IP supports participating country projects to assess their existing ocean oxygen and nutrient observation capacities and identify gaps in the collection, analysis, management and reporting of oxygen and nutrient data. Based on these needs, the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO, working with FAO and other technical partners, develops guidance, training materials and capacity development activities to improve national and regional monitoring systems. Support includes technical assistance for monitoring plans, best practice guidance for measuring and recording oxygen and nutrient concentrations, training on oceanographic data analysis and data products for policy makers, and opportunities for countries and communities to strengthen local monitoring, including through citizen science where relevant.
Global Ocean Oxygen Database and Atlas (GO2DAT)
A major contribution of this work is the development and use of the Global Ocean Oxygen Database and Atlas (GO2DAT), an open-access data platform designed to improve the sharing and use of ocean oxygen, -related information. GO2DAT aims to bring together data from national, regional and global repositories through a federated system, making information easier to find, compare and apply. CHO-IP country projects use the platform to access global and regional datasets, while also contributing their own data to strengthen collective understanding of marine hypoxia. The platform supports the identification of priority areas for action, the development of early warning systems, and the production of updated maps and assessments for global reporting, including the State of the Ocean Report.
Supporting Data-Driven Decisions and Action
Improved data systems also provide the evidence base for stronger policies, investment decisions and adaptive management. By connecting monitoring results with science-policy dialogues, source-to-sea assessments, nutrient reduction targets and investment planning, the program helps ensure that data are not only collected, but actively used to guide decisions. This includes informing national and regional policy frameworks, supporting Strategic Action Programs and Transboundary Diagnostic Analyses, and helping public and private investors apply a “hypoxia lens” to projects in agriculture, wastewater, industry and nature-based solutions.
Across all activities, the program promotes open data, interoperability and knowledge sharing among scientists, policy makers, practitioners and communities. Sex-disaggregated and gender-relevant data are collected and analyzed where possible to better understand how women and men contribute to, are affected by, and can help address nutrient pollution and marine hypoxia. By strengthening monitoring systems and making data more accessible and actionable, the CHO-IP helps countries move from fragmented information toward coordinated, evidence-based action for healthier coastal and marine ecosystems.