Home > Publications, Library & IRC

SPREP LIBRARY & INFORMATION RESOURCE CENTRE

Pacific Environment Information Network [PEIN] Country Profile and Virtual Environment Library

Nauru

Compiled by the SPREP IRC and Library the Pacific Environment Information Network [PEIN] Country Profiles are a browsable compilation of country profiles , national environment reports , technical reports and academic literature for the countries of the Pacific Islands. Contributions of weblinks and documents, whether in hardcopy or digital form are welcome and can be sent to irc@sprep.org .

[*Note that many of the documents below are large pdf files and may be difficult to load. Some pdf files may only be compatible with version 6.0 of adobe acrobat or higher. The issue should be resolved by upgrading to the latest Adobe Reader software. The Reader version 8 is free software available on the Adobe website at www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html .

Documents can be requested from irc@sprep.org .

Contents

Overview
Country Profiles

Country Reports
Technical Reports

Multimedia - posters, videos etc
Academic literature and research
Websites

Overview

*Excerpt from 'Nauru National Development Strategy 2005-2025: 2009 rev.'

Policies and Institutions for Environmental Sustainability [NSDS]

Nauru’s major environmental risk is the mined-out phosphate lands that cover almost 90% of the island. Effective land rehabilitation has not happened. A national environmental management strategy exists but implementation has stalled. Adequate environmental legislation is not in place. Sector ministries do not incorporate environmental concerns. Environmental public awareness and education are not provided.

Effective land use planning is not practised. Housing and building arrangements are based on ownership of land plots. This leads to congested living and the clustering of several land uses including homes, cesspits, water wells, shops, planting plots, animal pens and sports field on one plot of land. Waste management is minimal – including human, water, household and industrial.

Environment – the NSDS coverage of this was largely limited to rehabilitation of mined out
areas in topside. Whilst this is a very important issue, there are many other critical
environmental issues that Nauru needs to address and these have been included in this
revised NSDS update. These include the need to build resilience to climate change as well as
the need for a comprehensive law on environmental management that would include a
requirement for new projects to be assessed for their environmental impact. [NDSD Rev. 2009]

Sector Statement [NSDS rev. 2009]

Environment

Progress in rehabilitating the topside of Nauru has been slower than expected due to
substantially more material (pinnacles) having to be removed than projected. However,
equipment has been purchased and a work plan for the use of the NACHOS funding has been
agreed by Nauru and AusAID. Accordingly, the Nauru Rehabilitation Corporation (NRC) has
commenced rehabilitating a small (5 ha) portion of land as a demonstration site. This is to be
followed by a 13 ha site for a national cemetery site which will take at least 18 months to
develop.

Apart from rehabilitating topside the 2005 NSDS only contained one goal dealing with the
general environment, whose short term milestone was to undertake an environmental review and
pass new environmental legislation. A draft of an Environment Management Bill has been
prepared, but still requires further work before being presented to Parliament.
Despite this, Nauru has pursued a number of other projects consistent with international
environmental initiatives and these are reflected in new sector goals, strategies and milestones. In
2008 the Government finalized the National Energy Policy Framework with assistance from SOPAC. Work is also being carried out in developing water governance and finalizing the
National Solid Waste Management Strategy which was developed late in 2008.

Other environmental issues which have been pursued by Nauru are in the areas of climate
change, biodiversity and sustainable land management.

- In climate change, Nauru will be preparing its Second National Communication (SYNC) to
the Conference of the Parties of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

- In biodiversity, Nauru will be preparing its National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan
(NASAL) and its first and third National Reports to the Fourth Session of the Conference
Parties (COP) of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).

- In sustainable land management (SLM) Nauru has commenced a project aimed at maintaining
and improving ecosystem stability, integrity, functions and services while enhancing sustainable
livelihoods. This will be done by building Nauru's capacity to implement a comprehensive regime
for sustainable land management and to ensure that SLM is mainstreamed into all levels of
decision-making. By the end of the project, land degradation issues should be fully recognized in
National Development Plans and sector Action Plans, such as those for urban development,
transport, agriculture and biodiversity. SLM should also be integrated into relevant policy, laws
and educational/training programs, using integrated land use planning to underpin such
initiatives.

Country Profiles

Adaptation Learning Mechanism [climate change adaptation] country profiles
Nauru

Asian Development Bank Country Profiles and Strategies
Nauru

Biosafety Profiles [CBD Biosafety Clearinghouse Mechanism]
Nauru

Birdlife [Avifauna] Profiles

see Avibase - Bird Checklists of the World - browsable by country and by individual island within the Pacific region - excellent data source

see also Species profiles [*For the Globally Threatened Birds (those evaluated as Critically Endangered, Endangered and Vulnerable), each factsheet contains a summary account, range map and an illustration, plus additional data tables. For Extinct, Extinct in the Wild, Near Threatened, Least Concern and Data Deficient species, each contains a concise summary paragraph and some additional data tables.] [Birdlife International]
Nauru

see also Endemic Bird Areas [EBAs] of the Pacific [Nauru (secondary area)]

see also Important bird areas of the Pacific [IBAs] (2010) [Birdlife Pacific]

IBA Profiles:
Nauru

IBA Reports:
Nauru,

* order the complete CD-ROM 'Important bird areas in the Pacific: a compendium' from the SPREP IRC

see also Pacific regional overview [Birdlife International]
see also Globally Threatened Birds (those evaluated as Critically Endangered, Endangered and Vulnerable) of Oceania [Birdlife International]
see also State of the World's birds website and report [Birdlife International] - including Pacific country case studies

Country Climate Profile [UNDP]
* Sourced from the Adaptation Learning Mechanism, a knowledge sharing platform developed by UNDP in partnership with the Global Environment Facility, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the World Bank, and the United Nations Environment Programme.

Earthtrends Thematic Country Profiles [WRI]
Agriculture and food, Biodiversity and protected areas, Climate and atmosphere, Coastal and marine ecosystems, Economics, business and the environment, Energy and resources, Environmental governance and institutions, Forests, grasslands and drylands, Population, health and human well-being, Water resources and freshwater ecosystems.

Ecoregion Profiles [World Wildlife Fund]
Tropical Moist Forests
Eastern Micronesia [Marshall islands, Nauru, Kiribati]

Environment Statistics - Country Snapshots [UN; 2009]
Nauru

Environmental Vulnerability Index - Country Profiles [SOPAC / UNEP]
Nauru

EU Pacific Country Environment Profiles

see also EU Country Partnership Profiles [incl. environment and EDF10 strategies]
Nauru

FAO Country Profiles and Mapping Information System
Nauru

FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Country Profiles
Nauru

Fishbase Biodiversity Country Profiles (all fish)
Nauru

Forestry Country Profiles
Forestry Department Country Profiles [FAO]
Nauru

see also FAO Forest Resource Assessment : Country Reports [2010]
Nauru (2010; 40kb)

see also State of the World's Forests 2007: Asia and the Pacific [FAO] (2008; 1.77mb)
see also Tropical and subtropical forest profiles prepared by the World Wildlife Fund

see also Mongabay Rainforest profiles:
Nauru, Palau

Global Biodiversity Information Forum [GBIF] Country Profiles
Nauru

see also GBIF Google Earth Country Links
Nauru

Global Environment Facility (GEF) Country Profiles
Use the drop down menu to go to the individual profiles - includes GEF-4 Allocation and Utilization , Approved Projects and Projects Under Preparation

Integrated Water Resource Management Profiles [SOPAC]
Nauru

Invasive Species : Country Profiles [ISSG]
Nauru

see also PIER reports on invasive species in Pacific islands:
American Samoa , Commonwealth of the Northen Mariana Islands - Rota , Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia - Chuuk, Kosrae, Kiribati, Niue (2000) / Niue (2004), Micronesia (all) , Palau, Samoa, Tonga

Land-based pollutants inventory for the South Pacific region: Part 2: Regional summary and country profiles [SPREP] (1993; 19mb)

Laws and legislation

Pacific islands Environmental Laws [Commonwealth Secretariat]
Nauru

SPREP National Laws and Legislation clearinghouse
Nauru

see also 'Legislative reviews' in Country Reports (below)

Mangrove and Wetlands Profiles

see : A Directory of Wetlands in Oceania [1993]
see also: Wetlands of the Pacific Island Region (2008; 882kb)
see also: IWMI Global Wetlands - Interactive Web Map Server - includes countries of Oceania
see also: Wetlands in Oceania - country profiles and wetlands information [UNEP-WCMC] - Nauru

Marine Resource Profiles
Nauru (2002; 634kb)

see also:

Nauru Fisheries and Marine Resources Authority: Information

see also:

State of the marine environment in the South Pacific Region (1990; 3.48mb)

see also:

Reefbase Country Profiles (coral reefs, reef fish, biodiversity)
Nauru

see also GIS data for corals in the Pacific from Reefbase - browse by country and reef profile
see also GIS data for marine protected areas in the Pacific from Reefbase - browse by country and ecosystem

National Communications Support Programme [Climate] Profiles [UNDP]
Nauru

Pacific Biodiversity Information Forum Country Data:
Nauru

Pacific Regional information System - PRISM [SPC]
Environmental and Climate Statistics
Nauru

Plant Profiles
Nauru (SPC; 19.2mb)

see also: THE VEGETATION AND FLORA OF NAURU – 2007. Current Status, Cultural Importance and Suggestions for Conservation, Restoration, Rehabilitation, Agroforestry and Food, Health and Economic Security (SPC; 68mb)

Protected Areas
World Database on Protected Areas - Pacific site profiles
Nauru

see also: Protected Areas of the Pacific Islands profiles [UNEP / WCMC]
Maps of the Pacific Islands
Wetlands in Oceania - country profiles and wetlands information - Nauru

see also Protected Area profiles on www.protectedplanet.net
Nauru

see also GIS data for marine protected areas in the Pacific - browse by country and ecosystem
see also MPA Global Profiles (marine protected areas database) above

SPREP Country Profiles: Exchange of Information by Members at SPREP Annual Meetings:
- Exchamge of information by Members on National Developments related to Natural Resource Management Priority of the Action Plan [2007]
see Agenda Item 6.1: Country Profiles of the Report and record of the 18th SPREP Meeting of Officials in Apia, Samoa on 11th to 14th September 2007

- Exchange of information by Members on national developments related to Pollution Prevention priority of the SPREP Action Plan [2008]
see Agenda Item 8.6: Country Profiles of the Report and record of the19th SPREP Annual Meeting of Officials in Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia on 8–12 September 2008

- Exchange of Information by Members on National Developments Related to the Climate Change Focus Area of the SPREP Action Plan [2009]
see Agenda Item 11.2: Country Profiles of the Report and record of the 20th SPREP Annual Meeting of Officials in Apia, Samoa on 17 - 20 November 2009

- Exchange of Information by Members on Year of Biodiversity [2010]
see Agenda Item 11.3: Country Profiles of the Report and record of the 21st SPREP Meeting of Officials in Madang, Papua New Guinea on 6-10 September 2010
see also individual profiles for: Wallis and Futuna

Sustainable Development Profiles (UN Agenda 21)
Nauru

Threatened species: Summary of species on the 2008 IUCN Red List
Nauru

UNCCD Country Profiles:
Nauru

UNEP Country Profiles [* poorly maintained and little information available]
Nauru

Water Resource Profiles [SOPAC - Pacific water - http://www.pacificwater.org/]
Nauru

see also "Pacific Regional Consultation on Water in Small Island Countries" - country briefing papers (2003)
Nauru

WHO Environmental Health Profiles
Nauru

World Factbook Country Profiles [CIA]
Nauru

World Ocean Database 2005 [NOAA]
Geographically sorted data for the Pacific Ocean [datasets]

see also Environmental indicators: South Pacific (UNEP: 2004; 6.23mb)
see also Polynesia / Micronesia Biodiversity Hotspot Ecosystem Profile (2007; 1.16mb)

see also Paciifc Biodiversity Information Forum website and databases

Country Reports

Barbados Programme of Action + 10 (BPoA)
National Assessment Reports: Nauru (2004; 515kb)

Pacific Environment Outlook (2005; 30.99mb)

The Conference on Small Island Developing States (Barbados Conference, 1994) highlighted the importance of island biodiversity as an ecological corridor linking major areas of biodiversity around the world. The conference called for international co-operation and partnership to support the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in their efforts to conserve, protect and restore their ecosystems. The Barbados Plan of Action recognizes the importance of the coastal zone as a source of subsistence and economic development.

Country Strategy Papers and National Indicative Programmes [European Union - EDF10]
Nauru (2008-2013; 2.4mb)

Legislative Reviews
Nauru (2007; 892kb)

Mauritius Strategy + 5 Review: National Assessment Reports [5-year Review of Progress Made in Addressing Vulnerabilities of Small Islands Developing States Through Implementation of the Mauritius Strategy for Further Implementation (MSI) of the
Barbados Programme of Action (BPOA) ]
Nauru (2010; 270kb)

National Capacity Self Assessment (NCSA)
NCSA Status (NCSA website)
Nauru ,

National Environment Management Strategy (NEMS)
Nauru (1996; 2.18mb)

National Integrated Water Resource Management : Diagnostic Reports - drafts only [SOPAC]
Nauru (2007; 604kb)

National [Sustainable] Development Plans / Strategies [ForumSec]
Nauru 2005-2025 (2.39mb) / Nauru 2005-2025 rev. (2009;1.15mb)

National Assessment Reports: Nauru (2006; 153kb)

see also:

SPC Country Joint Country Stategies in support of National Strategies for Sustainable Development :
Nauru

Pacific Adaptation to Climate Change [PACC] - reports, activities and PACC news updates
Nauru

Pacific Adaptation to Climate Change [PACC] - report of in-country consultations
Nauru (2009; 131kb)

Pacific Regional Consultation on Water in Small Island Countries - Country briefings
Nauru (2003; 127kb)

Pacific Regional Energy Assessment: Country Reports (PIREP)
Nauru (2004; 832kb)

Regional overview report (2004; 2.59mb)

Peristant Organic Pollutants (POPs): Country Plans
Nauru (2003; 278kb)

The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal (Basel Convention, 1989), the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade (Rotterdam Convention, 1998) and the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) (Stockholm Convention, 2001) together provide an international framework for the environmentally sound management of hazardous chemicals throughout their life cycles.

Sea Level & Climate: their present state: Country reports
Nauru (2006; 2.1mb)

Ships' Waste Management in Pacific Islands Ports: Country reports
Nauru

United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (Land Degradation) (UNCCD)
National Reports: Nauru (2002; 438kb)

see also UNCCD Country Profiles:
Nauru

see also UNCCD Reports clearinghouse mechanism

The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification is an agreement to combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought through national action programs that incorporate long-term strategies supported by international cooperation and partnership arrangements.

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
(i) National Communications and In-depth Reviews
Nauru (1999; 1.27mb)

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC,1992) is concerned with global warming and the consequent rise in sea levels that may result in the flooding of coastal areas, and submerging islands, which could adversely affect coastal communities. The treaty aims at reducing emissions of greenhouse gas in order to combat global warming. Although the treaty as originally framed set no mandatory limits on greenhouse gas emissions for individual nations and contained no enforcement provisions; it did include provisions for updates (called "protocols") that would set mandatory emission limits. The principal update is the Kyoto Protocol.

Technical Reports

Reports available online from the SPREP Library and IRC database
Reports available online from SOPAC [Pacific Islands Applied Geoscience Commission]
Reports available online from ReefBase Pacific

search also SPC Coastal and Oceanic Fisheries Digital Library

Multimedia - posters, videos etc

Poster: Most common pelagic fish species of Nauru [SPC]
Poster: Most common reef fish species of Nauru [SPC]

Paradise for sale
- The ecological devastation on the island of Nauru as a result of decades of phosphate mining.
Edited by Lazarina Todorova. Conceived and narrated by Carl N. McDaniel, Professor of Biology at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, NY. 3 minute excerpt.

Academic literature and research

via Google Scholar

Websites

Nauru Fisheries and Marine Resources Authority

see also:

The Pacific Environment Information Network [PEIN] Regional Frameworks and Strategies Directory [SPREP]

SPREP Library and IRC collection [SLIC] - includes online full text access to a wide range of Pacific environment materials.

The Pacific Environment Information Network [PEIN] Virtual Library - full text publications from SPREP, SOPAC, SPC and other CROP agencies, Pacific govt. environment depts. , regional institutions, and NGOs active in the area of environment conservation.

Pacific Environment Databases and Recommended Internet Resources

see also:

SPREP's International Instruments' webpage
"International instruments relevant to SPREP's work in the areas of Sustainable Economic Development, Ecosystems Management, Climate Change, and Waste Management."

Back to top

Compiled by Peter Murgatroyd. Last updated 3 November 2010

© SPREP