International fora and national governments around the world have recognized the need for Integrated Water Resources Management and Coastal Zone Management cyclic planning processes. Consequently, development of policies, strategies, roadmaps and implementation plans has taken place as part of these processes.

DHI has pioneered concept development for such processes and assisted national policy, strategy and planning processes in Burkina Faso, Malawi, Nicaragua, South Africa, Uganda, Vietnam and Zambia. Further, DHI Water Policy has assisted UNEP's IWRM 2005 Programme aiming to accelerate the implementation of IWRM in 10 sub-regions of the world.

Integrated Coastal Zone Management
Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) is an appropriate framework to meet the commitments and obligations laid down in recent international agreements and initiatives. Under the DHI/UNEP Collaborating Centre on Water & Environment a special activity is the FreshCo Initiative for establishing improved systems for Integrated Coastal Area and River Basin Management. The aim is to ensure a sustainable economic development of the coastal zone and its associated river basins by maintaining healthy and productive aquatic ecosystems and natural resources.