Mining the Pacific: Future proofing or fool’s gold?

Climate change is intensifying, sea levels are rising and the very existence of low-lying Pacific Islands is under threat. The Cook Islands, though, has a plan to assure their peoples’ future. Enter deep sea mining, harvesting metallic nodules on the bottom of the sea floor for use in things like electric car batteries and mobile phones. Its supporters say it is a climate change ‘solution’- a better alternative to mining on land. And one that could make Cook Islanders very rich indeed. Its detractors worry we are messing with its Moana - or ocean – with no real idea of the impacts. Katy Watson travels to Rarotonga to find out how islanders feel about searching for ‘gold’ on the sea floor.

Producer: Lindle Markwell
Presenter: Katy Watson
Sound engineer: James Beard
Production co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman
Editor: Penny Murphy

(Photo: A protestor blows a conch at the At Sea, Sail Out Rally against deep sea mining in the Cook Islands, September 2024.Credit: Katy Watson)