Changing legal obligations on climate action
Pacific Small Island Developing States and other developing nations are mobilising to call for new international legal norms, to ensure that industrialised nations meet their obligations on climate, development and
Deep-sea mining firm Impossible Metals seeks mining lease near American Samoa
The waters around the Pacific Ocean territory are estimated to contain large amounts of potato-shaped rocks known as polymetallic nodules filled with the building blocks for electric vehicles and
Fiji urged to accelerate BBNJ ratification
Regional partners are calling on Fiji to speed up its ratification of the BBNJ Agreement as other countries move forward with their commitments under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. The BBNJ
Take ‘precautionary approach’ on deep-sea mining: top official tells AFP
Rules for the emerging deep-sea mining sector should take a “precautionary approach” that protects the environment, the head of the body drafting regulations for the practice told AFP Friday. At stake is a potential
Envisioning ocean literacy across the Pacific
Students at the International School Suva (ISS) learn about the ocean from the moment they step through the school gates. Under the leadership of the Whole School Ocean Coordinator Hannah Nanovu, the school is not just
Solomon Islands PM welcomes delegates for the Honiara Summit
Solomon Islands Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele on Monday formally welcomes leaders converging in Honiara this week for the ‘Honiara Summit on the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG)
Cook Islands government accused of misleading public on seabed mining
Cook Islands government is misleading the public into believing the country is undecided on whether to allow deep seabed mining, claims an advocate for ocean conservation and protection. Louisa Castledine’s
The future of deep sea mining hinges on a contentious election
The Pacific island nation of Kiribati is playing an outsize role in an election that will determine whether companies can begin strip-mining the world’s oceans for critical metals. Bloomberg reports that Leticia
American Samoa Governor places moratorium on seabed mining
An executive order that American Samoa Governor Lemanu Peleti Mauga issued places a moratorium on seabed mining in the waters of American Samoa. The moratorium applies to the mining, extracting, or removal of
At FestPAC, a call to preserve the ocean that separates — and connects
All of the 28 nation’s participating in 13th Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture on Oahu are separated by miles of ocean. That same ocean, they say, connects them. That’s why they’re working to protect the
Sweeping Kagoshima’s waters
Aboard the Kinko In Kagoshima, Japan, an organisation is taking a proactive approach to floating ocean pollution, ‘sweeping’ the local port five days a week. The Kagoshima Seikoukai Marine Group is a membership
Pacific faces new battle: plastic addiction
It’s a familiar story. While Pacific negotiators recently emerged disappointed but resolute over the result of the climate change negotiations in Dubai, they are also engaged on a new front; a treaty to govern the
OTEC: Challenging the status quo
The proponents of Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) are hoping that the technology will finally get a foothold in the Pacific, following their recent mission to Fiji. A Regional Energy and Transport Ministers’
Japan says seawater radioactivity below limits near Fukushima
Seawater samples taken following the release of wastewater from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant showed radioactivity levels well within safe limits, operator Tokyo Electric Power Co. (Tepco) said. The
International talks end without go-ahead for deep-sea mining
An international meeting in Jamaica to negotiate rules over deep-sea mining has ended with no green light to start industrial-scale mining and with an 11th-hour agreement to hold formal discussions next year on the
The future of Pacific ocean science
The Pacific can learn from the Indian Ocean when it comes to ocean science. Last week’s UN Ocean Conference in Lisbon devoted a full day to the role of the scientific community. Strong engagement of stakeholders
Bleaching distress signal
Recently we heard that widespread coral bleaching has occurred on the Great Barrier Reef off Queensland for the fourth time in seven years. Scientists say the frequency of these bleaching events mean there’s
Oceans vision laid out at oceans meeting
What kind of ocean would we like to pass to our future generations? What would it take to do so? Are we doing enough? This was the challenge raised by Pacific Ocean Commissioner and Pacific Islands Forum Secretary
Dialogue is key in Fiji seascape management
Dialogue is key to ensuring the durability and sustainability of marine conservation parks, was the consensus of a panel of experts at the second day of the Fiji Seascape Symposium. Providing space for civic actors to
