A recent opinion poll carried out in the Cook Islands showed that 66% of residents do not support deep seabed mining, and 49% do not support exploration.
The poll which was carried out last week by Te Puna Vai Marama, the Cook Islands Centre for Research, had 771 valid responses. Slightly more women than men took part. There was a wide age range of Cook Islands residents who took part – from teenagers to those in their eighties.
- Of those who do not support seabed mining their major reason was that mining may disrupt the habitat of animals in the deep sea
- Of those who support seabed mining, understandably, the economy was the main concern
- 85% of respondents agreed that the deep ocean held cultural and spiritual significance for Cook Islanders.
The Cook Islands has extensive coverage of polymetallic nodules in its exclusive economic zone. If harvested, these minerals could be used to make renewable energy infrastructure, such as turbines, cars and electronic devices.
Currently, the Cook Islands is in a deep seabed exploration phase. The Government has permitted three companies to research whether these minerals and metals could be mined economically. If so, they may be awarded a license allowing them to begin mining the seabed in the Cook Islands Exclusive Economic Zone.
At the same time, the deep sea is an untouched ecosystem, about which scientists agree that little is still known. Some marine scientists warn that industrial scale deep-seabed mining could disrupt biodiversity at the bottom of our oceans and have far- reaching harmful effects.
Professor Heather Worth, Director of Te Puna Vai Marama, the Cook Islands Centre for Research said, “we are quite surprised by the results. We didn’t realise how many Cook Islanders are worried about the effect of seabed mining on the environment and who care deeply about the deep ocean”.
Further results will be made public as Te Puna Vai Marama analyses the data.