Exploring the Cook Islands' role in deep-sea mining

Exploring the Cook Islands' role in deep-sea mining

Below the ocean surrounding the Cook Islands lies a wealth of minerals critical for electric vehicle batteries, stirring debates over economic gain versus environmental risk.

Pete McKenzie reports for The New York Times.


In short:

  • The Cook Islands faces a pivotal decision on whether to mine these deep-sea minerals, which could significantly boost its economy.
  • Environmentalists and more than 800 scientists have advocated for a moratorium, fearing severe ecological impacts.
  • Local government and international companies are conducting studies to determine the feasibility and environmental implications of such mining.

Key quote:

"Our creation story is that the bottom of the ocean is where life began. How many creatures are we going to destroy down there if we suck up all that sand?"

— Teina Rongo, marine biologist

Why this matters:

Environmentalists and many scientists caution against the haste to harvest these seabed treasures. They warn of possibly irreversible damage to deep-sea ecosystems, which are among the least understood biomes on Earth. Disturbances could range from the sediment disruption impacting marine life to the potential release of toxic substances into the water column. As the world increasingly looks to the ocean's depths to meet the mineral demands of green technology, the decisions made in these remote islands could set a precedent for how humanity balances economic gain with the stewardship of nature's unexplored frontiers.

Related:

A large white sign reading "unite behind the science" hangs from a balcony.

Standing up for science: Around the world, scientists protest Trump threats to their work

Thousands of scientists worldwide are uniting against the Trump administration’s attacks on science, with major protests planned today to defend research funding, diversity initiatives, and academic freedom.

Bob Berwyn reports for Inside Climate News.

Keep reading...Show less
Senator Whitehouse & climate change

Senator Whitehouse puts climate change on budget committee’s agenda

For more than a decade, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse gave daily warnings about the mounting threat of climate change. Now he has a powerful new perch.
Black smoke rises and spreads from a chemical disaster site in a city.
Credit: Joshua Green/Flickr

Trump’s EPA moves to roll back chemical safety rules

The Trump administration is pulling back on Biden-era rules that required chemical facilities to adopt stronger safety measures against disasters.

Hiroko Tabuchi reports for The New York Times.

Keep reading...Show less
Smoke coming out from industrial towers at dusk.

U.S. pulls out of international effort to shift major polluters from coal

The United States is withdrawing from the Just Energy Transition Partnership, a global initiative designed to help developing nations move away from coal, according to sources in key participating countries.

Tim Cocks, Francesco Guarascio, and Fransiska Nangoy report for Reuters.

Keep reading...Show less
Wind turbines viewed from above with squres of green and fallow fields below.

Congress hears warnings that cutting renewable energy incentives could drive up costs

Energy experts told lawmakers that rolling back Biden-era tax credits for renewables could slow grid expansion, raise electricity costs, and make it harder to meet surging energy demand.

Katie Surma reports for Inside Climate News.

Keep reading...Show less
grey wooden pathway surrounded by trees.

Trump administration moves to end Army Corps’ Florida headquarters lease

The Trump administration plans to terminate the lease for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Jacksonville headquarters, which plays a key role in Everglades restoration and hurricane response, leaving employees uncertain about their future.

Amy Green reports for Inside Climate News.

Keep reading...Show less
Green backhoe digging hole in the middle of a massive pile of black coal.

China urged to halt coal power expansion as approvals surge

The European Union’s ambassador to China has called on Beijing to stop approving new coal-fired power plants, warning that the country’s rapid expansion of coal projects contradicts its renewable energy leadership.

Amy Hawkins reports for The Guardian.

Keep reading...Show less
Canberra at dusk with view of parliament house lit up on a hill.

Canberra proves a fossil-fuel nation can run on renewables

Australia’s capital, Canberra, has been powered entirely by renewable energy since 2020, making it a standout in a country still heavily reliant on coal and gas.

Stuart Braun reports for Deutsche Welle.

Keep reading...Show less
From our Newsroom
wildfire retardants being sprayed by plane

New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

“The chemical black box” that blankets wildfire-impacted areas is increasingly under scrutiny.

People  sitting in an outdoors table working on a big sign.

Op-ed: Why funding for the environmental justice movement must be anti-racist

We must prioritize minority-serving institutions, BIPOC-led organizations and researchers to lead environmental justice efforts.

joe biden

Biden finalizes long-awaited hydrogen tax credits ahead of Trump presidency

Responses to the new rules have been mixed, and environmental advocates worry that Trump could undermine them.

Op-ed: Toxic prisons teach us that environmental justice needs abolition

Op-ed: Toxic prisons teach us that environmental justice needs abolition

Prisons, jails and detention centers are placed in locations where environmental hazards such as toxic landfills, floods and extreme heat are the norm.

Agents of Change in Environmental Justice logo

LISTEN: Reflections on the first five years of the Agents of Change program

The leadership team talks about what they’ve learned — and what lies ahead.

Stay informed: sign up for The Daily Climate newsletter
Top news on climate impacts, solutions, politics, drivers. Delivered to your inbox week days.