Pacific civil society cautions ISA of ‘bluewashing’ deep-sea mining – Image for illustrative purposes only (Image credits: Unsplash)
Suva, Fiji – Civil society organizations across the Pacific are urging greater openness in talks about deep-sea mining, warning that the activity could damage marine ecosystems and disrupt the cultural ties that bind island communities to the sea. The concerns surfaced on the opening day of a regional workshop organized by the International Seabed Authority, where participants are examining what organizers describe as sustainable blue growth. Groups representing churches, social services, and environmental networks say the current format risks sidelining voices that prioritize environmental safeguards over commercial interests.
Cultural Ties to the Ocean Shape the Debate
For many Pacific peoples the ocean functions as more than a resource. It serves as a source of identity, a regulator of climate, and a link to ancestors and future generations. Reverend James Bhagwan of the Pacific Conference of Churches described the sea as “our common home, our provider, our ancestor, our climate regulator, and part of God’s creation.” He noted that mining the seabed would wound the life-system that sustains islands and communities alike.
These perspectives reflect long-standing Pacific traditions that view the ocean as inseparable from human well-being. Participants at the workshop stressed that any discussion of seabed activities must account for this relationship rather than treat the marine environment as an empty space available for extraction.
Workshop Format Raises Questions of Balance
The Pacific Regional Non-Government Organisations Alliance, which includes more than twenty groups, expressed worry that the agenda centers sponsoring states with ties to mining companies while limiting observer roles for other Pacific island nations. Chair Joey Tau said the structure appears inappropriate for the regional context because it privileges perspectives already invested in exploration and exploitation.
Executive Director Vani Catanasiga of the Fiji Council of Social Services pointed out that civil society organizations were not invited to the event despite their knowledge of community needs. She argued that excluding these voices leaves out essential perspectives on transboundary harm and the well-being of Pacific people. The alliance called for equal space for non-sponsoring states that favor precautionary approaches and stronger environmental protections.
Economic Claims Meet Practical Realities
Proponents often present deep-sea mining as a path to revenue for small island states, yet civil society representatives question whether the benefits would reach ordinary communities. Oceans campaigner Laisa Nainoka of the Pacific Network on Globalisation stated there is no such thing as sustainable deep-sea mining because the activity remains fundamentally destructive to marine life and dependent populations.
Political coordinator Rae Bainteiti of Greenpeace Australia Pacific added that the average Pacific island state would receive only thousands of dollars under current benefit-sharing rules while mining companies stand to gain billions. He described the framing of seabed destruction as “sustainable blue growth” as deceptive and noted that true blue growth would instead focus on healthy oceans, sustainable livelihoods, and climate resilience.
Calls for Clearer Priorities in Future Talks
The alliance outlined three specific steps the International Seabed Authority should take at the current forum and beyond. These include actively involving civil society and community representatives, reducing emphasis on heavily invested sponsoring states in favor of broader Pacific island engagement, and giving equal attention to independent science, the precautionary approach, and cumulative impacts on the marine environment.
Forty countries, among them seven Pacific nations, have already called for a moratorium or precautionary pause on deep-sea mining. The outcome of this week’s discussions will help determine whether future regional workshops incorporate these wider concerns or continue to focus primarily on economic and technical aspects.
Communities that have long relied on the ocean for food, transport, and spiritual continuity now face uncertainty about how decisions made in these forums will affect daily life and long-term resilience.