Page 10 - IB April 2022

Oceans Oceans

MPS SEEK REGIONAL DIALOGUE ON

DEEP SEA MINING

By Nic Maclellan sive economic zones (EEZs) of
island nations as well as inter-
A new alliance of parliamentarians from across the Pacific national waters. While it allows
has called for a regional dialogue on the potential impacts of DSM within EEZs, UNCLOS also
deep sea mining. allows developing countries to
The public launch of the Pacific Parliamentarians’ Alliance partner with overseas corpora-
on Deep Sea Mining (PPADSM) established “a collective of tions to licence exploration in
Pacific leaders who share the strong concern to protect the international waters known as
ocean in light of the rush by large corporations, backed by “The Area.” For our region, this
powerful governments, to mine the ocean floor for minerals means mineral-rich deep ocean
before regulatory governance structures and measures are put trenches like the Clipperton-
in place.” Clarion fracture in the north
The new network is chaired by Ralph Regenvanu , and Pacific.
Vanuatu Opposition leader. The launch on 13 April featured Ralph Regenvanu While states like Fiji have
presentations by former Tuvalu Prime Minister Enele Sopoaga; called for a regional moratorium on DSM, four Pacific island
Governor of PNG’s Oro Province Gary Juffa; Moetai Brotherson governments – Nauru, Kiribati, Tonga and Cook Islands – are
of Maohi Niu (French Polynesia) and Hon. Teanau Tuiono of the working with corporate partners to advance DSM projects.
Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand. This was highlighted by a recent intervention from the Nauru
As they launched the statement “A Call To Protect Our government at the International Seabed Authority (ISA), the
Pacific Ocean”, PPADSM has received endorsements from authority established by the 1982 United Nations Convention
politicians across the region, from Tuvalu, Papua New Guinea, on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to govern seabed mining.
Fiji, Solomon Islands, Palau, Guam, New Caledonia, French Despite years of debate, the ISA has failed to finalise any
Polynesia, Bougainville, and Aotearoa New Zealand. binding regulatory framework to allow DSM to proceed. In
Introducing the statement, Regenvanu highlighted the im- June last year, however, Nauru formally activated an UNCLOS
portance of the ocean in Pacific cultures. “As Pacific peoples, provision giving the ISA a two-year deadline to finalise the
the ocean is central to life and wellbeing,” he said. “From it regulations. With little time to negotiate such complex global
we draw our identity, affirm our existence and spirituality, and arrangements, many governments are worried that DSM will
cultivate and sustain our relationships.” begin soon without proper international regulation.
The former Vanuatu foreign minister also stressed the Given these differences amongst Forum member states,
diverse range of threats to marine ecosystems: “The health Regenvanu called for a regional dialogue on the issue: “We
of our ocean is already under unprecedented threats from a acknowledge the decisions taken by our fellow Pacific island
multitude of human induced stressors such as overfishing, pol- states of Nauru, Tonga, Kiribati and Cook Islands to pursue
lution, plastics, nuclear waste and radioactive material, and deep sea mining in their respective jurisdictions and the
biodiversity loss. Indeed, the climate crisis, with the related international area. As the chair of the PPADSM, I appeal to
impacts of ocean warming and acidification and rising sea our Pacific leaders and legislatures to join us and to engage in
levels, are also taking a heavy toll.” open talks to address the deep sea mining issue in the Pacific
For this reason, he said, “we support the overwhelming and on a regional and not a national basis.”
growing scientific evidence of the impacts of Deep Sea Mining At the PPADSM launch, former Tuvalu Prime Minister Enele
(DSM), and express serious concern at the potentially devas- Sopoaga noted the potential impact of unregulated DSM in
tating and irreversible damage to ecosystems and habitats.” international waters. He noted the stalemate last month
of global negotiations for an international treaty to protect
Exploring and exploiting the deep marine biodiversity beyond the national jurisdiction of states,
A number of transnational corporations, partnered by devel- known as BBNJ. The latest round of BBNJ talks failed to
oping nations, are developing and trialling the complex tech- create a legal framework to prevent greater loss of marine
nologies for DSM, aiming to collect metal-rich resources from biodiversity, though Sopoaga noted: “While negotiations have
the depths of the ocean floor. These seabed minerals include stalled for the time being, we cannot let minor differences
seafloor massive sulphides, cobalt-rich ferromanganese crusts, get in the way of an important agreement. This must be done
and polymetallic nodules. in urgency. We draw particular attention to the need to define
These potentially valuable mineral resources are found in effective environmental impact assessment procedures on the
deep ocean locations across the vast Pacific, within the exclu- high seas.”

10 Islands Business, April 2022