Nations aim to ink deep sea mining rules by 2025
The International Seabed Authority’s member nations on Friday agreed on a two-year roadmap for the adoption of deep sea mining regulations, despite conservationists’ calls for a moratorium on mineral
Oceans
Opinion: High seas treaty too late to stop seabed mining
When the International Seabed Authority begins accepting applications for deep-sea mining operations in the coming weeks, there will remain a lingering question. How much control will authorities have over operations to
Deep-sea mining poses potential threat to tuna fishing in Eastern Pacific Ocean
Research published in the science journal Nature Ocean Sustainability has found deep-sea mining is likely to pose a threat to bigeye, skipjack, and yellowfin tuna populations in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. Climate change
Japan turns to livestreamed fish in Fukushima safety campaign
Japan has launched a torrent of advertising campaigns to help convince a sceptical public that releasing treated radioactive wastewater from the tsunami-wrecked Fukushima plant into the ocean is safe. Details of the
‘Precautionary principle’ is of utmost importance to us in the Pacific: Forum Chair Brown
As controversial plan by Japan to release treated waste water from the Fukushima nuclear plant sparked anxiety and anger at home and abroad, the ‘precautionary principle’ is of utmost importance to us in the Pacific
Fukushima plan to release water into ocean approved by UN watchdog IAEA
The UN’s nuclear watchdog has approved plans by Japan to release more than 1m tonnes of water from the wrecked Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean, despite objections from local fishing
Opinion: You can’t mine the seabed without proper rules
Mining the seabed without proper regulations seems outlandish. But it could happen sooner than we think. 10 July, 2023 is shaping as D-Day for the world’s oceans. That is the day after a two-year deadline placed on
Science and data for ocean prosperity
The Blue Prosperity expedition programme to collect data on ocean health in Fiji is already showing very mixed results at different sites. The programme is a collaborative effort led by the Fiji government and supported
Pentagon ordered to probe undersea mining to counter China
The Metals Company, a mineral explorer of the Pacific Ocean floor, is welcoming United States Congressional efforts to elevate contentious undersea mining to help achieve battery metal independence from
Japan’s Fukushima wastewater plan is safe, says expert on Pacific islands panel
Fish that swim in treated wastewater from the tsunami-damaged Fukushima nuclear plant would be safe to eat, according to an expert who is part of the Pacific islands scientific panel that criticised Japan’s plan to
Pacific calls for immediate ratification of Highseas Treaty
As the global community embrace the adoption of the new Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) treaty, the Pacific are calling on the international community to seize this milestone momentum and rally
Opinion: Australia should support minimum terms and conditions for Pacific seabed mining
The extraction of deep seabed mining resources on an industrial scale at incredible depths is a new frontier with many unknowns. But the potential gains are immense. Deep sea deposits contain manganese, cobalt, nickel,