Our heritage, our stand, our future
The Cook Islands’ recent agreements with China and the United States to conduct deep-sea mining research are not a pathway to prosperity, but a dangerous gamble with our most precious resource-the ocean that defines our nation. The government’s narrative of economic development and self-reliance, while seductive, downplays the significant environmental and geopolitical risks that we believe will ultimately harm our people and our future generations.
For us, this is not a theoretical debate about the powerplay among the big foreign countries or economic models. It is a growing concern about our cultural identity and our very survival as people of Moana-Nui-o-Kiva. The ocean is not just a resource to be exploited. It is the lifeblood of our culture, our source of food, and the foundation of our spiritual connection to the world.
The prospect of industrial-scale mining tearing up our pristine seabed is an assault on our identity as people of the these islands. The Government’s talk of “responsible development” and “high environmental standards” rings hollow when the science available on the long-term impacts of deep-sea mining is so limited. What we do know is that the vast majority of scientists say we have to take this very slowly. We know that such activities create massive sediment plumes that can travel for miles, suffocating marine life and disrupting delicate ecosystems. We have no idea what the long-term consequences of this will be, and we are being asked to take a leap of faith with potentially disastrous long term consequences for the possibility of a short term payday. Money that will be here today, and gone tomorrow.
The attraction of foreign investment from great powers like China and the US is understandable, but it is also a trap. By signing these agreements, the Cook Islands is being drawn into a geopolitical chess game that we are not equipped to win. The interests shown by these countries are not for our well-being, but in securing a monopoly on the critical minerals wanted for their technological and military ambitions. The US is not acting out of a newfound love for our nation, but out of a desperate need to counter China’s growing influence in the Pacific. We are being used as a pawns in a great-power struggle, and in such a game, the pawn is always sacrificed. The economic benefits, even if they do materialise, will come with political strings attached, eroding our sovereignty and our ability to make decisions that are truly in our own best interest.
We are also sceptical of the economic narrative itself. The deep-sea mining industry is unproven and the market is volatile. There is no guarantee that the promised wealth will ever materialise, or that it will be distributed fairly among our people. We have seen this story before with extractive industries in other countries, including our Pacific island neighbours. The profits flow to foreign companies and a select few local elite, while the environmental and social costs are borne by the wider community. We believe that our true economic future lies in sustainable practices that are conducted in harmony with our environment. For example, eco-tourism, regenerative agriculture, and sustainable well managed fisheries.
The Cook Islands government has a choice to make. It can either continue down their very risky path of deep-sea mining, guided by the perceived needs of foreign powers and the promise of short-term gain. Or, it can listen to the voices of its own people and choose a more sustainable, and ultimately more prosperous and equitable future.
Te Ipukarea Society will continue to advocate for the latter. We will work to help ensure that the unique and irreplaceable legacy of our ocean is not sacrificed for the sake of an unproven and dangerous industry. We urge the government to join a growing number of countries calling for a moratorium on deep-sea mining. This would be completely in line with their regular reassurances to the community that they will take it slow and be confident of the impacts before making a decision - so why wait?