deep-sea mining

Civil society groups across the Pacific criticise SOPAC and its development of a regional regulatory framework on deep sea mining (DSM). They argue that it facilitates and pre-empts DSM before Pacific Island communities have had the opportunity to debate whether this is a form of development they want.

Last week the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) funded by the EU held its 4th Deep Sea Minerals Regional Training Workshop in Fiji. The workshop was jointly organised by Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and focused on “the Environmental Perspectives of Deep Sea Mineral Activities”.

Laisa Vereti, Pacific Islands Association of on-Government organisations (PIANGO) said,

“The EU funded SOPAC DSM project needs to have a clear process and mechanism in place. Our pacific governments lack the capacity and expertise to go into this new venture. Countries need to put proper legislation and regulation in place to safe guard their resources and the well being of their people before even thinking of engaging in this new industry.”

The workshop brought together civil society, Pacific Island Government Representatives and DSM mining companies. The scientific experts confirmed that little is still known about deep sea environments and there is much speculation about the extent and nature of the impacts of deep sea mining.

The discussion at the SOPAC meeting was sometimes tense as industry and government were confronted by some difficult truths about the deficiencies in Environmental Impact Assessments and the serious gaps in capacity to manage environmental issues.

Thomas Imal, Lawyer with the Centre for Environmental Law & Community Rights (CELCOR) said,

“The PNG Government has put the cart before the horse by issuing Nautilus Minerals Solwara 1 mining licence without adequate and independent scientific studies, or comprehensive national policy, laws and regulations for DSM[1].”

“To date the PNG Government has ignored the concerns of communities and other stakeholders. This has been the cause of a strong backlash from PNG society culminating in the threat of a legal challenge.”

“Whilst DSM maybe a viable option for other Pacific Island states it is not the same for Papua New Guinea. We need to apply the Precautionary Principle[2], the uncertainties far out weight the benefits and it is not beneficial for the country at this time.”

In stark contrast to the PNG Government, the Vanuatu Government is embarking on a national deep sea mining consultation process. Under the oversight of the Hon. Ralph Regenvanu, Minister for Land and Natural Resources, the Vanuatu national consultations aim to model best practice Public Participation in Deep Sea Mining Decision-Making.

Charlie Timpoloa Harrison, Interim CEO, Vanuatu Association of Non-Governmental Organisations (VANGO) said,

“It is paramount that our people fully understand what DSM is before we develop any policy, review any mining legislation or, for that matter, develop any new legislation. All policy and legislation amendments have to involve civil society participation at the core of these national undertakings.”

“This Vanuatu process will draw on the principles and approaches embedded in Free Prior and Informed Consent[3] and the Precautionary Principle. It will be open and transparent and will ensure that if any licences are awarded it is with the consent of Vanuatu’s civil society and on the basis of independently verified science-based risk assessments.”

Dr. Helen Rosenbaum, coordinator, Deep Sea Mining campaign said, “SOPAC is actively promoting DSM as the Pacific Panacea – the answer to poverty alleviation throughout the Pacific. However the truth is somewhat different. Many Pacific countries already have significant mining projects but still lack basic infrastructure, and good health and education systems. DSM will not be a quick fix for this.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Laisa Vereti, PIANGO secretariat Phone: +679 8352667, laisa[at]piango.net

Thomas Imal, Lawyer, CELCOR, Papua New Guinea +675 3234509, timal07[at]gmail.com

Charlie Timpoloa Harrison, Interim CEO, VANGO, Vanuatu, +678 5908488 / 7738882, charlietimpoloahrrsn[at]gmail.com or vangosec[at]gmail.com

Dr. Helen Rosenbaum, Deep Sea Mining Campaign, Australia, +61 413 201 793, hrose[at]vic.chariot.net.au

NOTES

17 December 2013 - PIANGO (Pacific) | VANGO (Vanuatu) | CELCOR (Papua New Guinea) | Deep Sea Mining campaign (Australia)

Just off the coast of Papua New Guinea there is a huge new 'deep sea mining' venture called Solwara 1 mine. University based environmental scientists in PNG and Australia are worried that the venture is largely experimental and that the entire venture is "out of its depth." They also say that intellectual Property Rights, community and environmental health in the Bismarck Seas and PNG’s Exclusive Economic Zone are inadequately addressed.

What steps will the PNG Government take now that the PM knows there's an issue?

Today the Deep Sea Mining Campaign will deliver a letter to the Prime Minister of PNG. The letter welcomes Prime Minister Peter O’Neill’s recent statements recognizing the environmental impact of Solwara 1 as a “core issue”.

However, the Campaign is concerned that the PM has not clearly laid out how the PNG National Government will now ensure that environmental impacts are addressed prior to the re-commencement of the Solwara 1 mine.

Professor Chalapan Kaluwin of the Environmental Science & Geography Department at the University of Papua New Guinea states, “The priority issues of intellectual Property Rights, the health of communities and the environment of communities in the Bismarck Seas and PNG’s Exclusive Economic Zone are poorly dealt with. Hence the need for transparency about the decision making process behind the issuing of the 20 year license for Solwara 1 is imperative.”

“DEC made a commitment to inform the public at a forum it was to hold in in Port Moresby last week. But it then cancelled this forum. We now have a window of opportunity to get things right beforeNautilus starts up its operations again. When will our own experts, local communities and our government talk openly and honestly on this matter"

Dr. Helen Rosenbaum, coordinator for the Deep Sea Mining campaign in Australia and author of Out of Our Depth: Mining the Ocean Floor in Papua New Guinea states,

“Solwara 1 is the world’s first deep sea mining experiment. The eyes of the region and the world are watching to see how the PNG Government deals with the flaws in the Nautilus EIS.”

“Independent detailed technical analysis has shown there are many errors and omissions and that the EIS fails to provide a basis for the management of environmental risks.”

In its letter to the PM, the campaign maintains that at a minimum the PNG Government and Nautilus must now release:

* the full oceanographic data set for the EIS;
* the 2009 independent review of the oceanographic aspects of the EIS conducted for DEC by Cardno Lawson Treloar Pty Ltd;
* any other independent reviews of the EIS commissioned by DEC;
* the conditions of the Solwara 1 permits issued to Nautilus by DEC;
* the draft environmental management plan for Solwara 1; and
* studies that show what metals will be released, the extent to which they will find their way into the food chain, and how contaminated the seafood eaten by local communities will be.

Wences Magun, National Coordinator for the Madang based Mas Kagin Tapani said, “Local communities have NOT sanctioned the Solwara 1 project. No one knows what the impacts of this form of mining will be. Communities want to know what concrete steps the Prime Minister will now take to ensure we are not being used us as guinea pigs in a sea bed mining experiment.”

The letter to Prime Minister O'Neill can be read here:
http://www.deepseaminingoutofourdepth.org/letter-to-png-pm/

For more information:

Professor Chalapan Kaluwin (Papua New Guinea), [email protected] + 675 7122 5454 ?

Wences Magun (Papua New Guinea), [email protected] +675 7195 9665,

Dr. Helen Rosenbaum (Australia), [email protected] +61 413 201 793

URL: http://www.deepseaminingoutofourdepth.org

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