{"id":388352,"date":"2025-09-01T02:33:12","date_gmt":"2025-09-01T02:33:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/388352\/"},"modified":"2025-09-01T02:33:12","modified_gmt":"2025-09-01T02:33:12","slug":"the-pacifics-united-front-on-climate-action-is-splintering-over-deep-sea-mining","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/388352\/","title":{"rendered":"The Pacific\u2019s united front on climate action is splintering over deep-sea mining"},"content":{"rendered":"

In recent years, Pacific island nations have earned<\/a> global credibility<\/a> as champions of climate action. Pacific leaders view sea level rise as an existential threat. <\/p>\n

But this united front is now under strain as some Pacific nations pursue a controversial new industry \u2013 deep-sea mining. Nauru, the Cook Islands, Kiribati and Tonga have gone the furthest to make it a reality, attracted by new income streams. But nations such as Fiji, Palau and Vanuatu have called for a moratorium on deep-sea mining in international waters. <\/p>\n

Public opinion across the Pacific is often divided, pitting possible economic gains against the potential risks of an industry whose environmental impact<\/a> remain uncertain<\/a> but potentially significant<\/a>. As this tension intensifies, it may split the Pacific and risk the region\u2019s moral authority on climate. <\/p>\n

\"school<\/a><\/p>\n

Vanuatu and other Pacific nations have offered a broadly united front on climate change. But deep-sea mining may risk this unity. Pictured: Vanuatuan schoolchildren holding signs about climate change.
\n Hilaire Bule\/Getty<\/a><\/p>\n

What are the concerns over deep-sea mining?<\/p>\n

Deep-sea mining targets three types<\/a> of mineral deposits \u2013 polymetallic nodules strewn across deep underwater plains, cobalt-rich crusts on seamounts, and the ore deposits<\/a> around hydrothermal vents. <\/p>\n

To extract them, mining companies can use unmanned collectors<\/a> to pump ore to the surface and return the wastewater. This creates plumes of sediment which can smother<\/a> marine life. Methods of minimising damage to species from mining on land are largely unworkable<\/a> at depth. <\/p>\n

Deep-sea ecosystems are poorly understood, but we know they are slow to recover. Researchers have found<\/a> areas mined as a test more than 40 years ago still show physical damage and immobile corals and sponges remain scarce.<\/p>\n

\"a<\/a><\/p>\n

Many species live on the seabeds, seamounts and hydrothermal vents which would be targeted for mining. Pictured: a crab crawling across a field of polymetallic nodules near Gosnold Seamount.
\n NOAA<\/a>, CC BY-NC-ND<\/a><\/p>\n

Why is there so much interest in deep-sea mining?<\/p>\n

Deep-sea mining hasn\u2019t begun anywhere in earnest, because the International Seabed Authority has yet to finalise<\/a> rules governing extraction. This authority oversees the 54%<\/a> of the world\u2019s oceans beyond territorial waters. <\/p>\n

But plans for deep-sea mining operations can still be submitted and considered without these rules in place<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Analysts have estimated seabed minerals could be worth a staggering A$30 trillion<\/a>. Some of the richest deposits lie in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone<\/a> in international waters between Hawaii and Mexico, thousands of kilometres away from Pacific nations. Under international law<\/a>, companies cannot mine in international waters on their own. They need to be officially sponsored by a national government, which has to keep effective control<\/a> over its operations. <\/p>\n

One reason deep-sea mining companies see Pacific states as such useful partners is that these countries can access
\nreserved areas<\/a> of international seabed set aside for developing countries, as well as potential resources in the very large territorial waters around many island states. <\/p>\n

Backers in Nauru<\/a>, Tonga<\/a>, the Cook Islands<\/a> and Kiribati<\/a> argue rising demand for manganese, cobalt, copper and nickel could deliver significant economic returns and diversify economies. <\/p>\n

Nauru<\/strong><\/p>\n

Nauru\u2019s enormous deposits of guano \u2013 compressed seabird excrement long sought as fertiliser \u2013 once made<\/a> the country wealthy. But the guano is largely gone and the small nation has limited other resources. <\/p>\n

Nauru sponsors Nauru Ocean Resources<\/a>, a wholly owned subsidiary of seabed mining company The Metals Company<\/a>. In 2011<\/a>, the company received an International Seabed Authority contract permitting exploration of polymetallic nodules in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone<\/a>, more than 8,000km from Nauru. <\/p>\n

Nauru has since \u201cproudly taken a leading role<\/a>\u201d in developing international legal frameworks in mining nodules in the international seabed. <\/p>\n

In June, Nauru signalled<\/a> Nauru Ocean Resources would apply for an exploitation license<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Tonga<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tonga\u2019s government is similarly backing deep-sea mining by partnering with The Metals Company to explore mining in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone. <\/p>\n

In August 2025, Tonga signed an updated agreement<\/a> with Tonga Offshore Mining, a subsidiary of The Metals Company. The agreement was originally signed in 2021 amid large-scale criticism over the lack of public consultation<\/a>. <\/p>\n

The mining company has promised new benefits<\/a>, ranging from financial benefits, scholarships and community programs. Even so, the revised deal has encountered opposition<\/a> from civil society, young people and legal experts. Prominent Tongans remain unconvinced<\/a>, citing environmental, legal and transparency risks.<\/p>\n

Economic pressure is part of the picture. Tonga owes<\/a> an estimated A$180 million to China\u2019s Exim Bank \u2013 roughly a quarter of its annual GDP.<\/p>\n

Cook Islands<\/strong><\/p>\n

The 15 Cook Islands are widely scattered, giving the government exclusive rights to almost two million square kilometres of ocean. The government has issued exploration licences<\/a> inside its Exclusive Economic Zone to three companies \u2013 Cook Islands Consortium<\/a>, CIIC Seabed Resources Limited<\/a>, and Moana Minerals<\/a>. The Cook Islands government has established a domestic regulatory framework<\/a> and is building research capacity<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Kiribati<\/strong><\/p>\n

Kiribati\u2019s atolls and island are even more dispersed. The nation\u2019s exclusive economic zone covers about 3.4 million km\u00b2. The state-owned Marawa Research and Exploration company holds a 15-year exploration contract<\/a> with the seabed authority. Kiribati has opened talks with China<\/a> to explore potential collaboration. <\/p>\n

The Pacific split<\/p>\n

While revenues could potentially be sizeable for the Pacific, costs, technologies and environmental liabilities are highly uncertain<\/a>. <\/p>\n

The experience of Papua New Guinea is a cautionary tale. In 2019, the PNG deep-sea mining venture Solwara-1 went into administration<\/a> following intense community pushback<\/a>. The fallout cost the government an estimated $184 million<\/a>. The PNG government now opposes<\/a> deep-sea mining in its territorial waters.<\/p>\n

\"seabed<\/a><\/p>\n

Nautilus Mineral\u2019s Solwara-1 deep-sea mining project in Papua New Guinea wound up in 2019. Pictured: the company\u2019s three seabed mining vehicles.
\n Nautilus Minerals<\/p>\n

While deep-sea mining now has clear backers, other nations are far more wary. <\/p>\n

In 2022, Palau<\/a> launched an alliance<\/a> calling for a moratorium on mining in international waters. Early signatories included Fiji<\/a>, American Samoa<\/a> and the Federated States of Micronesia<\/a>. Since then, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and the Marshall Islands have joined, as well as dozens of other countries. PNG has not yet joined. <\/p>\n

Opposition from these Pacific states is based on the precautionary principle<\/a>, which favours caution when knowledge is limited and damage is possible. <\/p>\n

Pacific youth are among the most prominent opponents of deep-sea mining. The regional Pacific Blue Line<\/a> coalition uniting civil society, faith groups, women\u2019s organisations and youth networks has consistently called for a complete ban<\/a> in the region. Young people have spoke out publicly in nations such as Tonga, where youth advocates criticised limited consultation and rallied against the plans<\/a>, as well as the Cook Islands<\/a>, where young people have demanded transparency.<\/p>\n

Reputation under a cloud?<\/p>\n

Pacific leaders have built a worldwide reputation for their principled climate diplomacy, from championing the 1.5\u00b0C goal<\/a> to the major new advisory opinion<\/a> on climate change issued by the world\u2019s top court in response to a case instigated by<\/a> students from the University of the South Pacific. <\/p>\n

If some Pacific leaders open the door fully to deep-sea mining, it risks undermining the region\u2019s united front on environmental issues and threatens its credibility. <\/p>\n

The way this plays out will shape how the world hears the Pacific on climate and the oceans in the years ahead.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"In recent years, Pacific island nations have earned global credibility as champions of climate action. Pacific leaders view…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":388353,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3843],"tags":[728,70,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-388352","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-environment","8":"tag-environment","9":"tag-science","10":"tag-uk","11":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/115126704932737057","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/388352","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=388352"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/388352\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/388353"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=388352"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=388352"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=388352"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}