SUVA, FIJI, Tuesday 19 Could 2026 – Pacific civil society teams are calling for transparency and inclusion in regional deep-sea mining talks, as environmental stewardship considerations and poor financial prospects accompany the company push.
This cautionary name comes on the primary day of the Worldwide Seabed Authority (ISA)’s Pacific Small Island Growing States regional workshop, the so-called ‘Deep Seabed Sustainable Blue Development Initiative’ in Suva, Fiji.
The Pacific Regional Non-Authorities Organisations (PRNGO) Alliance, together with Pacific Convention of Church buildings (PCC), Fiji Council of Social Providers (FCOSS), Pacific Community on Globalisation (PANG), Greenpeace Australia Pacific (GPAP), and over 20 Pacific civil society organisations, questioned the agenda of the “blue progress” discussion board, arguing that the workshop emphasises sponsoring States, however solely contains observer engagement with different Pacific Small Island Growing States (PSIDS).
The collective burdened the significance of guaranteeing that the workshop doesn’t unintentionally privilege or amplify solely the views of sponsoring States in a fashion that might be perceived as legitimising or advancing deep-sea mining pathways within the Pacific.
Mr Joey Tau, Chair of the PRNGO Alliance, mentioned: “We’re extraordinarily involved that the present agenda is inappropriate to the Pacific context; because it stands, it clearly centres states which have an curiosity in deep-sea mining, with relations and advantages to the mining trade. Such regional workshops should guarantee equal visibility and area for non-sponsoring States, significantly these advocating for precautionary approaches and environmental safeguards.
“We additionally problem the ISA in its mandate to encourage coverage discussions on efficient safety of the marine surroundings and never simply on the economics, exploration and exploitation.”
Ms Vani Catanasiga, Government Director of the FCOSS, mentioned: “The ISA got here in to conduct a workshop, however they excluded civil society organisations. Why has that been allowed? The ISA is excluding a physique of information that’s wanted for concrete conversations that additionally takes into consideration the well-being of the Pacific folks. This was not effectively thought by means of – this discussion board ought to have not less than emphasised the significance of a civil society perspective. As we’re conscious, deep-sea mining can have transboundary hurt; this is the reason you will need to have civil society within the room throughout these conversations.”
Reverend James Bhagwan, Basic-Secretary of PCC, mentioned: “For Pacific peoples, there may be nothing sustainable about deep-sea mining when it violates our cultural and non secular connection to the ocean. The ocean is just not an empty area. It’s not merely a useful resource. It’s our frequent dwelling, our supplier, our ancestor, our local weather regulator, and a part of God’s creation. Within the Pacific, now we have lengthy mentioned: the ocean is us, and we’re the ocean. To mine the ocean is to wound the life-system that holds our peoples, our islands and future generations collectively.”
Ms Laisa Nainoka, Oceans Campaigner at PANG, mentioned: “There isn’t any such factor as sustainable deep-sea mining. Hurt doesn’t turn out to be innocent simply because we rebrand it. It’s essentially damaging, with far-reaching impacts on the ocean, marine life, and the communities that depend upon them for survival. These impacts usually are not confined to the excessive seas or the unique financial zones of sponsoring states, it’s felt throughout your complete ocean.”
Mr Rae Bainteiti, Political Coordinator at Greenpeace Australia Pacific, mentioned: “Calling the destruction of our ocean ground ‘sustainable blue progress’ is misleading, biased, and flawed – it’s bluewashing the most important trendy risk to the Pacific. Deep-sea mining is a dangerous funding that can price the Pacific essentially the most and profit us the least. The typical Pacific Island State would solely obtain mere 1000’s of {dollars} by means of the ISA benefit-sharing regime because it stands, whereas worldwide mining corporations rake in billions. There isn’t any Pacific ‘blue progress’ in a mined ocean. True blue progress ought to imply investing in wholesome oceans, sustainable livelihoods, local weather resilience, and defending marine ecosystems, not opening the door to a different extractive trade.”
Pacific civil society organisations have persistently emphasised that, slightly than framing deep-sea mining as a possibility for “blue progress,” the ISA ought to prioritise its environmental safety obligations.
On the discussion board this week, PRNGO is looking for the ISA to:
Actively embrace civil society and group views in workshops;
Forestall pro-mining bias in deep-sea mining governance by shifting focus away from closely invested Sponsoring States towards significant engagement with PSIDS;
Give equal weight to dialogue about defending nature, together with the position of impartial science, the appliance of the precautionary strategy, and the consideration of cumulative mining impacts.
Up to now, 40 nations have referred to as for a moratorium or precautionary pause on deep-sea mining, together with seven Pacific nations.
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