The restoration of Nauru’s mined areas is fundamental to the future wellbeing of the people and ecosystems of Nauru. Extensive open cast phosphate mining on Nauru over the last 100 years has led to soil losses and landscape degradation to the extent that over 70% of this South-Western Pacific island state is now uninhabitable and almost all productive land has been lost.
Government Report to UNCCD - prepared by the Dept. Economic Development and Environment. 2003
The environmental issue of greatest concern to the people of Nauru is the degradation of the mined phosphate lands. In all of the series of consultations that were carried out between the people of Nauru and the various teams of technical experts to ascertain the feasibility of rehabilitating the island, it was constantly emphasised that the total degradation of topside, including localized inland, water shortages and coastal erosions are problems that need to be addressed for sustainable development.
The map shows areas of critical importance for the biodiversity and ecosystems of Nauru's terrestrial and marine environments.
Map of the Nauru Island hydrology feature, Buada Lagoon and areas of land development.
Circular 21/150
Inform Plus proposed 5 pillars
- Component 1: Environmental Governance
- Component 2: Monitoring and field data collection for environmental standards and standardised environmental indicators
- Component 3: Data management utilising the Pacific Island Network Portal (PEP). Production of information products for decision makers based on existing data sets.
- Component 4: Enhance and expand GIS use for data collection, analysis and presentation to inform decision makers
Map of the Nauru Island Key Biodiversity Areas
Locality of Nauru Island hydrology feature - Buada Lagoon.
Circular cover letter that was sent out on 1st December 2021
Proposed Project Objective: Enhanced use of data for decision making in the environment sector throughout the Pacific region. Building on the tools and momentum the Inform project established, this scaled up project will expand the user base and fill significant gaps including in situ monitoring, increased partnerships between the environment ministries and other ministries, increase use of spatial tools, and the establishment of standardise environmental standards and key indicators for key resources.
Summary table of the status of Pacific Island countries in relation to International and Regional conventions.