Business
US companies apply to explore deep-sea mining in area bordering Pacific island states
Mongabay · By Elizabeth Claire Alberts ·
The Brief
- Two U.S. companies have applied to the U.S. government for seabed mining exploration licenses.
- The two application areas are large patches of international waters near the Cook Islands, Kiribati and French Polynesia in the South Pacific.
- The source reports that local government officials and environmental organizations have raised concerns, with details limited in the excerpt provided.
Why it matters
Exploration licences for deep-sea mining in international waters near Pacific island states could affect seabed ecosystems and the governance debate over mineral extraction beyond national jurisdiction.
Who’s affected
- marine scientists and deep-sea ecologists
- Pacific island governments and communities near the Cook Islands, Kiribati and French Polynesia
- policymakers involved in seabed mining regulation
- #deep-sea mining
- #seabed
- #pacific ocean
- #marine policy
- #cook islands
Two U.S. companies have applied to the U.S. government for seabed mining exploration licenses in two large patches of international waters near the Cook Islands, Kiribati and French Polynesia in the South Pacific Ocean. Local government officials and environmental organizations…
Timeline
Two U.S. companies applied to the U.S. government for seabed mining exploration licenses in areas near the Cook Islands, Kiribati and French Polynesia.
Conservation news
US companies apply to explore deep-sea mining in area bordering Pacific island states