Prime Minister, James Marape, told world leaders at the United Nations Oceans Conference held yesterday in Nice, France that Papua New Guinea does not support deep seabed mining.
Papua New Guinea (PNG) will not support deep-seabed mining within its exclusive economic zone (EEZ), Prime Minister James Marape stated yesterday at the United Nations Oceans Conference.
Speaking in Nice, France, Mr. Marape stated that there is insufficient scientific evidence to prove that deep-sea mining is environmentally safe.
This commitment aligns with a joint declaration signed by Prime Minister Marape and other Melanesian leaders in Vanuatu on August 24, 2023, agreeing “not to allow underwater seabed mining to be carried out in their jurisdictions.”
This moratorium, established by the Melanesian Spearhead Group (comprising Fiji, PNG, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and FLNKS from New Caledonia), has directly impacted projects like the Solwara 1 project in PNG, which was once poised to be the world’s first deep-sea mine.
The Solwara 1 project, operated by Canada-based Nautilus Minerals, aimed to extract gold and copper from seafloor massive sulfide deposits around hydrothermal vents.
However, Prime Minister Marape stated on August 28, 2023 that Solwara 1 cannot proceed “until technology and studies show that it can be done in an environmentally sensitive manner.”
He added during the time of the signing that PNG, as a “responsible big brother in the region,” subscribed to the majority view in the Pacific and placed a moratorium on deep-sea mining in the country.
Prime Minister Marape emphasized then that the cultural and nutritional importance of the ocean to the people of PNG, stating, “Our ocean is important to our people’s life, culture, and food. We must protect it for future generations.”