Ethics and environment are priorities
Government is set this month to announce the timeline for reopening seabed areas for prospecting licences.
Applicants for exploratory licences for seabed mining will be put through a “rigorous” licensing process to ensure they will apply the best environmental practices, says Deputy Prime Minister Mark Brown.
“Our ocean is important to us, and we will not do anything to impact its ability to support our way of life.”
Responding to World Economic Forum analysis on the importance of ethical and environmentally sustainable management of undersea mining, Cook Islands government and environment groups agree on one thing: those mining for the minerals used in renewable energies must demonstrate best environmental and social practice.
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That is pretty much where the agreement ends.
Cobalt – one of the minerals believed to be abundant in the Cook Islands exclusive economic zone – is used in making rechargeable batteries.
But Te Ipukarea Society technical director Kelvin Passfield says new technologies are being developed that may replace the need for these minerals in the not so distant future.
“Any economic returns to the Cook Islands are extremely speculative,” he warns.
There were more than enough of these minerals on land, to supply the renewables revolution, without also mining the seabed, he argues.
Those companies investing in mining should focus on addressing issues like child labour in countries such as the Congo where the minerals are mined, rather than just looking to the ocean instead.
“Deep sea mining might prove to be for very short term gains, but at a long term cost to the health of our Marae Moana,” he says.
“Deep sea mining would be adding a new damaging extractive industry to the ocean, already suffering from overfishing, global warming, and acidification. This would threaten the reliance of small island States like the Cook Islands on a clean and well-functioning ocean which brings us life.”
Mark Brown disagrees. He says Cook Islands is one of the countries most at risk from climate change – and in order to urgently reduce global carbon dioxide emissions, there is a strong demand for the metals critical for low-carbon technologies.
“The Cook Islands has the opportunity to contribute towards the decarbonisation of the global economy, through its abundant nodule deposits which contain the minerals needed for the green transition.
“However, the Government will not allow the commercial recovery of our nodules unless we are satisfied that there is sufficient information on how to address and minimise any potential environmental impacts. We will only get that information through further exploration and research.”
“We are committed to developing a seabed minerals sector that is responsible, through best practice environmental, social and governance requirements, and in supporting ethical business practices, transparency and accountability.”
Brown says deep sea exploration is “fundamental” to understanding Cook Islands’ ocean environment, and any impacts of minerals recovery – a view echoed by Seabed Minerals Commissioner Alex Herman.
“The Cook Islands government has been working steadily over the past few years to develop its framework, and to prepare for reopening our waters for exploration activities,” she says. “It is expected we will be in the Exploration phase for several years.”
She argues seabed minerals provide an alternative to the land-based sources with concerns like child labour.
SOURCE: JONATHAN MILNE-COOK ISLANDS NEWS EDITOR