Nauru - Environment

Nauru's phosphate mining industry has done significant damage to the land. In 1987, the Nauruan government began to investigate the nation's mining operations with the goal of developing a plan to regenerate the land and replace lost vegetation. Land in the coastal region, however, has not been affected by the development of the country's mining industry. Vegetation in the coastal areas, such as pandanus and coconut palms, is plentiful. Nauru has limited freshwater resources. Its residents collect rainwater in rooftop storage tanks. Periodic droughts pose an additional hazard to the environment. Nauru is also affected by the global warming trend which has caused sea levels to rise, placing low-laying areas at risk from tidal surges and flooding. The bristle-thighed curlew and Finsch's reed warbler are vulnerable animal species.