Pacific civil society organisations have accused the International Seabed Authority (ISA) of marginalising community voices and environmental concerns during regional deep-sea mining discussions being held in Suva this week.
The criticism comes as the ISA hosts its Pacific Small Island Developing States regional workshop titled the “Deep Seabed Sustainable Blue Growth Initiative”, bringing together government representatives and industry stakeholders to discuss the future of seabed mining in the Pacific.
The Pacific Regional Non-Government Organisations Alliance, which includes the Pacific Conference of Churches, Fiji Council of Social Services, Pacific Network on Globalisation and Greenpeace Australia Pacific, said the workshop agenda heavily favoured states sponsoring mining interests while limiting broader Pacific participation.
Alliance chairperson Joey Tau said the forum failed to adequately reflect Pacific concerns surrounding environmental protection and precautionary approaches to deep-sea mining.
“Such regional workshops must ensure equal visibility and space for non-sponsoring states, particularly those advocating for precautionary approaches and environmental safeguards.”
Executive director of the Fiji Council of Social Services, Vani Catanasiga said the exclusion of civil society organisations weakened the quality of regional discussions.
“The ISA is excluding a body of knowledge that is needed for concrete conversations that also takes into consideration the wellbeing of Pacific people,” she said.
“This forum should have at least emphasised the importance of a civil society perspective.”
According to the group, 40 countries worldwide, including Fiji, Samoa, Palau, Tuvalu and Vanuatu, have already called for either a moratorium or precautionary pause on deep-sea mining.
