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The concept of “sustainable development” dates back a long time, but it was at the United Nations (UN) Conference on Human Environment (Stockholm, 1972) that the international community met for the first time to consider global environment and development needs, to define principles for the preservation and enhancement of the natural environment and to highlight the need to support people in this process. Later, in 1992, at the UN Conference on Environment and Development, 178 heads of state adopted three important documents: a comprehensive plan of action entitled Agenda 21, the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, and the Statement of Principles for the Sustainable Management of Forests.

The Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program (ARM) contracted with SPREP's Climate Change Programme to act as an independent regional consultant to determine likely environmental impacts of locating and operating an Atmospheric Radiation and Cloud Station (ARCS) in the Republic of Nauru. In particular, ARM is concerned with the appropriate improvement of the seawall at the proposed ARCS site.