Republic of the Philippines

Commission on Higher Education

Region V (Bicol)
POLANGUI COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Alnay, Polangui, Albay

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The Nauru Island Case

Prepared by: REYMARK I. COLINA Subject: People & Earth’s Ecology

BSAB-2I

The situation in the Nauru Island is hard, risky and challenging. If I will be given a
chance to decide what option I must choose is that, I will not choose among the two options
presented. Instead, I will use those two options as a chronological or cycle step to return the
Nauru Island back again to its form and situation before. First, I will order the authority or the
people to evacuate safely as I am implementing to rebuild the ecosystem of the Island. We are
going to import topsoil so that the soil removed by the miners will be back to its previous form
and also to add more nutrients to the soil such as the uses of fertilizers. Second, after rebuilding
the ecosystem of the Nauru Island, the citizens can now go back to the island which they used to
live in. Additionally, I will suggest to the authority that the phosphate mining must end now
because it is a huge distraction to the people living there especially near the area and it can
damage the natural beauty of the environment. As a person and as an individual, we should take
actions that can turn the island back again to its real situation, to continue the human
development, the economic status and trades as well as the environment that plays a huge role in
giving and providing important resources such as the phosphate in Nauru Island. We should take
care of our people, our economy and our environment to not to repent in the later time.

The recommendations that I will recommend in the basic sustainable development

indicators in lined with the Case of Nauru Island are:
A) (Social) Human Development Index – In this sustainable development indicator, I will
make sure that the citizens or the people in the island were safe against the mining of
phosphate. Despite the provision of natural resources like phosphate for trade markets,
we should think first about the welfare of our people. With that, I will order them to
evacuate in the nearest safe place that will not affect their home or vicinity with the
mining of phosphate. I will also give them relief goods, clothes and other necessities need
at home. As a member who works at the government, I will do my responsibility and take
the right action as what my position indicated. Therefore, I believe that without people, a
country will never be a country. Moreover, without the country, the people may not know
their identity as citizens of a certain country. In short, Nauru Island is not Nauru Island
without its people called Nauruans; and without Nauruans, it will never be called Nauru
Island.

B) (Economic) Income per Capita – Under the economic section of basic sustainable
development indicator, I will give an opportunity to the Nauruans by giving them job or
occupation so that it will be essential for them to have some income despite the situation
they’re facing because of phosphate mining.

In addition, explain how human ecological relation is applied/relevant in this

context in relation to the case of Nauru Island. You may do researches that support your
paper.

The Nauru case of the impact of phosphate mining on the lives of a small island
people in mid Pacific presents a striking example of the natural resource curse thesis. It
underlines how mining for phosphate has minimized Nauruan rights and brought few
development advantages. Nauruan autonomy was overridden by external commercial
exploitation. The economics of extracting phosphate dominated while humanitarian
issues arising from imposed commercial activity were sublimated. Responsibilities for
developments called for in the League of Nations Class succeeded by the United Nations
Trusteeship, were only peripherally activated.
 Nauruans’ only answer to loss of autonomy and thus control over their own lives was to
coordinate their claims for independence, and then seek preparations from the British Phosphate
Commissioners. Trust in outside management/administration had been thoroughly undermined as
they began to discover, post-independence, just how actively the curse of phosphate had
diminished their chances for a future after mining. Degradation of their island environment
resulted in a major loss that is proving very costly and difficult to rectify 50 years later. The
Commission of Enquiry into Worked Out Mining areas provided some pointers, but all have
proved very costly and impractical according to Nauruan values. Successive governments have
yet to find a solution. Political instability tied to a murky financial stability is the legacy.