Introduction

Natural resource management refers to how can we manage

natural resources such as land, water, soil, plants, and animals.
(Emily S. and Heather C., 2022). This includes all valued
characteristics such as gravitational, magnetic, electrical
properties and other forces. Including sunlight, atmosphere,
water, land (minerals) along with all vegetation, microorganism
and animal life that naturally subsists upon earth surface.
Natural resources are vulnerable into individual’s boundaries
through natural physical phenomena that lack clear cut
boundaries such as air, water, and climate, as well as energy,
radiation, electric charge originating from the built
environment. In a first part, we’ll discuss some of the
challenges faced by Small island states, coastal systems, and
other low-lying areas are especially vulnerable to the effects of
climate change, rising sea levels, extreme weather events,
ocean acidification, inundation, land degradation and the
decline of biodiversity. Then will discuss in a second part some
sociable and governmental processes which can support the
resilience and sustainable living to the octotonous people and
their future prosperity. Although, how can we ensure our small
islands states natural resource management system should
provide sustainable resource for future and further national
prosperity and development.
 Firstly, small islands developing state faces unique social,
economic, and environmental challenges. (source: United State)
Geographically small island states are remote areas which are
vulnerable to challenges as natural disaster such as climate
change. Small islands states major incomes resources come
from the ocean which cost fragile marine ecosystems
particularly vulnerable to biodiversity loss and climate change
because they lack economic alternatives. Biodiversity is a crucial
issue for the livelihood of many small islands developing state, as
industries like tourism and fisheries can contribute to over half of
the GDP of small island economies. (source: United State) However,
the importance of these natural resources extends beyond the
economy. It is biodiversity which holds aesthetic and spiritual
value for many island communities. For centuries, these
communities have drawn benefits from biodiversity in the form of
food supply, clean water, reduced beach erosion, soil and sand
formation, and protection from storm surges. Although strong
biodiversity does not generate only revenue through industries in
small island developing state but it also helps prevent the
incurrence of additional costs that can result from climate
change, soil erosion, pollution, floods, natural disasters, and other
destructive phenomena. (source: United State) With the modification
of local ecosystems such as deforestation and destruction of
natural environments, over-exploitation of resources, pollution,
and many species are now threatened with extinction.
Secondly, tropical cyclone season can cause damages on
communications, energy and transport infrastructure, homes,
health facilities and schools. Slow onset events such as sea level
rise pose an existential threat to small island communities,
requiring drastic measures such as relocation of populations, and
the related challenges this poses. (source: United State) This can be
seen especially in two countries: Kiribati and Tuvalu. These
small pacific states are two archipelagos composed of dozens of
islands and atolls in the Pacific Ocean expected to disappear in
the coming decades as the ocean, with its rising sea levels,
reclaims the narrow islands where tens of thousands of people
live. Kiribati is one of the lowest lying countries on earth, with
an average height of only two meters above sea level. The
rising sea levels threaten the islands by reclaiming the land for
the sea. Flooding is common during storms. However, climate
change is augmenting this frequency. (source: 2020.Pedro Lopes
de Castro Barbosa) Conformable to government officials, aside
higher sea levels, the rising frequency of floods can cause
sanitation problems, such as contamination of the drinkable
water reservoir storage. The state’s fate is sealed, the Kiribati’s
government has already purchased land in neighbouring Fiji for
future evacuation of its population (DW Documentary, 2017).
Thirdly, Nauru Island, is a small speck in the Pacific Ocean
located halfway between Hawaii and Australia, represents a
larger event of environmental degradation and economic
dysfunction. For more than 2,000 years traditional Nauruans,
isolated from the rest of the world, lived in social and ecological
stability. But during 1900 the discovery of phosphate, create an
absolute requirement for agriculture, discharge Nauru into the
world market. Colonial imperialists who occupied Nauru and
mined it for its lucrative phosphate resources devastated the
island, which forever changed its native people. In 1968
Nauruans regained rule of their island and immediately faced a
conundrum: to pursue a sustainable future that would protect
their truly valuable natural resources the biological and physical
integrity of their island or to mine and sell the remaining forty-
year supply of phosphate and in the process make most of their
home useless during that time.(source: Carl N. M, John M. G. 2022)
Findings reveal in which extensive way phosphate mining
destroyed the ecology of Nauru and left many of the islanders
without a livelihood. The deposits of phosphate on the island
are now almost completely depleted and there is little hope
that a more sustainable resource will emerge in its place.
(source: Harriet Hu.2016) As the mined phosphate lands are
rendered useless for any agriculture activity, habitation or any
development. In addition, Nauru is a small island with a fragile
natural ecosystem and terrestrial and marine biodiversity.
Nauru has very limited land available for allocation. The total
size of Nauru is 21 sq. km, and almost 80% of that land has
been degraded due to mining. The land degradation from the
mining has resulted in a lack of land for agriculture and limited
agricultural production. Agriculture makes up 1.2% of the GDP.
Nauru is primarily dependent on imports for food security.
Water resources are very limited. Rising sea levels and
increasing water salinity threaten the limited ground water
available. Then, changing weather patterns have the potential
to result in more extreme droughts, which further threatens
water security. Just about over half of all households at Nauru
were committed in fishing activity. (MM. Deiye.2013)
`
It seems that climate change is precisely affecting Nauru,
Kiribati and Tuvalu’s capability to survive as states, and thus,
constitutes a serious national security threat. Moreover, as
Buzan and Hansen (2009) stipulated, environmental issues are
already part of security debates. However, this dispute on
whether the environment is part of security is yet to be
resolved. Is the environment and, consequently, climate change
a valid part of security?

To begin, climate change and environmental degradation

are two pivotal reasons for environmental concern, then
afterwards the need for environmental inclusion in world
politics. The scale of human activity in the biosphere, as well as
the rapidly growing scientific understanding of these processes,
have both changed our understanding of humanity’s role in the
biosphere and made clear the need for policies to deal with our
rapidly changing circumstances (Steffen et al 2011).  Since the
1980’s, together with the ‘nuclear winter’, the global
atmosphere has become a focal point of environmental
discussions. Dalby illuminates this change in attitude towards
the environment, stating: “putting these concerns with acid
rain, ozone depletion and then concerns about climate change
together raised awareness and political concern about global
environmental matters with enough urgency to get them
considered as a matter of global security.” (2013, p. 166). For
example, Australia, one of the world's leading exporters of coal
and natural gas, has been slow to adopt climate targets,
although it is already experiencing the effects, including
increasingly severe bushfires and flooding.
In addition, however many small island developing states still
lack the systems and the technical support they need to
effectively manage their vital coastal and watershed resources.
Small island developing states protected huge marine
ecosystem territories with resources and biodiversity of great
significant global value. (Source: Global Environment Facility.2022)
Enforce action plan by sub-regional bodies to targeted a
number of economically important fisheries such as tuna. And
endorsed national strategic action program helping the region
shift from a national-focused fisheries and marine resources
management approach to a more collaborative, ecosystem-
based approach necessary for sustainable development. But
they are also low-lying coastal countries, they share similar
sustainable development challenges including small but
growing populations, limited resources, remoteness,
susceptibility to natural hazards, vulnerability to external
shocks, excessive dependency on external trade, and fragile
environments. These small islands should need enough support
which should already be provide by local and regional
stakeholders as to enhance weather and climate,
meteorological, hydrological services which need the ability to
gain greater access to information from the leading global
weather centers. And further improvement and sustainable
modernization is essential as application of science-based
climate information and services in support of decision-making.
In addition, partnerships can provide supports increased
enough investments in these observing networks as climate
forecasting services and requires more funding from donor
partner for communication systems and service delivery for
such development. (Source: © 2022 World Meteorological Organization
(WMO))

Lastly, in the middle of the ocean, the Pacific islands are

threatened by rising sea levels as a result of global climate
change, facing this critical situation and the effects of climate
change which are already visible so far. They are requesting
arbitration by the International Court of Justice, in response to
this critical situation and the effects of climate change which
are already visible. Thus, the Pacific Islands have therefore
launched an advocacy campaign to gain valuable support from
other countries. It is particularly targeted at neighbor New
Zealand and Australia, who carry more weight in the UN. Most
Small Island Developing States and Member Island Territories
economies are small, narrowly focused and thus vulnerable to
external shocks (such as fossil fuel, imported food prices and
natural hazards) and largely reliant on local market and
subsistence agriculture, fisheries and other use of natural
resources to maintain livelihoods. Tourism is also a growing
industry for some of the larger islands. (Source: © 2022 World
Meteorological Organization (WMO)) Allocating more resources or

strengthening international agreements for sustainable ocean

and coastal management however if it does not guarantee
positive outcomes. Also regionally and locally appropriate
approaches are needed to adequately assess and promote
healthy ecosystems and resilient communities. As treaty which
likely address the establishment of protected areas in these
islands, environmental impact assessments, access and benefit
sharing related to marine genetic resources, and capacity
building and transfer of marine technology. Urges the speedy
and effective implementation and the effective follow up and
review of the sustainable development priorities for small
islands developing states identified in the SIDS accelerated
modalities of action pathway and set out in the 2030 Agenda
for Sustainable Development, and reaffirms that small island
developing states remain a special case for sustainable
development in view of their unique and particular
vulnerabilities. (2022.Sustainable Development Goals)
Climate change, land degradation, ocean acidification and sea-
level rise has resulted in contraction of habitats causing shifts in
the geographical location of coastal species, loss biodiversity
and reduction in ecosystem services. Numerous Pacific Island
SIDS have already noted with concern increased sea levels and
associated land loss. (2022.Johanne C.) Climate change and
disaster risk priority areas are also less prominently addressed
by partnerships in this region than in other regions. Food
security has a strong focus on fisheries, with agriculture less
prominently featured, while the few sustainable transportation
partnerships focused on shipping. (United Nations, 2019) These
Small island states are also large Ocean States, meaning that
their ocean spaces are several times larger than the country
landmasses. These large exclusive economic zones also result in
high exposure of marine resources evaluates in the ocean. The
vulnerability of these small island developing state to climate
change is complex. Economically, the very characteristics that
make small island developing states unique contribute to
increased vulnerability to climate hazards. Sectors that are
critical to many small island developing state’s national
economies such as tourism, fisheries and agriculture are reliant
on environmental conditions and are thus affected by any
changes to the environment. (2022.Thomas et al.) The 2022
edition of the Pacific Islands Forum was the most important in
years. The climate emergency is growing for low-lying islands,
and the forum could not be held during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The meeting at a summit in Fiji's capital, Suva, Pacific island
leaders stressed that time was running out to avoid the worst-
case scenarios that would see their countries, many of which lie
just above sea level, swallowed up or rendered uninhabitable
by increasingly severe storms.

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