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Deep sea mining decision already made, Cook Islands opposition leader says

Cook Islands nodule field - photo taken within Cook Islands EEZ. Photo: Cook Islands Seabed Minerals Authority The Cook Islands' opposition leader believes the government has already decided it wants to pursue deep sea mining despite the science being inconclusive. Tina Browne has called for a pause on "the aggressive promotion of mining" by her government. However, she said she was fine with exploration and exploitation - the actual mining - if it is deemed environmentally safe. When asked how this position differed from the government's, she said, "The feeling that we have is that, while we want to tread cautiously and have the data available and the decisions made for safety, the government is promoting it in such a way that it has already determined it is safe." The Cook Islands is currently exploring the possibility of developing the industry but has not yet begun the actual mining. The Seabed Minerals Authority (SMA) is the government body in charge of deep sea mining in the Cook Islands. SMA's knowledge management director John Parionos said the National Environment Service is responsible for managing the process before an environmental project permit is issued. "This process is clear and legally mandated," Parionos said. He said it included the provision of a detailed environmental impact statement by the companies. While the authority and the National Environment Service have commissioned a strategic environmental assessment. "The [strategic environmental assessment's] purpose is to inform policy, not authorize any particular project to proceed to commercial minerals harvesting or other mining," Parionos said. "The results of the [strategic environmental assessment] thus far are encouraging but show key areas of uncertainty." Tina Browne Photo: Cook Islands News Browne said she did not want to be driven by the economic benefits of mining. "I want us to apply a lot of common sense and wisdom to the whole thing and not just be driven by the need to get money," she said. "We say that we are doing this for the future of our children, the children are saying, 'Well, there's not enough of us at these consultation meetings. "It's the same old elderly adults who are leaving us soon, we should be the ones to have a say in what we want for our future'."