‘We Live in One Ocean’: Native Hawaiian Activist Calls for Inclusion in Deep-Sea Mining Decisions

Why It Matters

Embedding Indigenous voices could reshape the mining code, strengthening environmental safeguards and lending legitimacy to a sector poised to fuel the global clean‑energy transition.

Key Takeaways

• ISA seeks mining code finalization by year‑end.
• Clarion‑Clipperton Zone holds polymetallic nodules for green tech.
• Indigenous activist stresses cultural and ecological risks of mining.
• Current governance divides ocean, ignoring fluid Indigenous worldview.
• Intersessional Working Group may embed cultural heritage into regulations.

Pulse Analysis

The International Seabed Authority, created under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, is the sole body governing mineral extraction in the international seabed. As nations race to secure critical minerals for batteries and renewable technologies, the ISA’s mining code will determine how, where, and under what environmental standards deep‑sea mining proceeds. The Clarion‑Clipperton Zone, spanning the Pacific between Hawaii and Mexico, contains vast deposits of cobalt, nickel, and manganese, making it a focal point for investors and governments eager to reduce reliance on terrestrial mining.

Indigenous leaders like Solomon Pili Kahoʻohalahala bring a contrasting worldview that sees the ocean as a unified, living entity rather than a patchwork of jurisdictional slices. Their advocacy highlights not only the potential loss of biodiversity from sediment plumes and habitat disruption but also the cultural erasure tied to centuries of colonial exploitation in the Pacific. By invoking traditional narratives such as the Kumulipo and the concept of the Waliwali, activists frame deep‑sea mining as a threat to both ecological balance and the identity of Oceanic peoples, urging a precautionary approach that respects ancestral stewardship.

The inclusion of Indigenous perspectives through the ISA’s Intersessional Working Group on Underwater Cultural Heritage could set a precedent for participatory governance in emerging frontiers like the deep ocean. If cultural heritage considerations become codified, mining operators may face stricter impact assessments, mitigation obligations, and possibly revenue‑sharing mechanisms with affected communities. Such outcomes would not only enhance the legitimacy of the mining code but also align it with broader sustainability goals, signaling to investors that responsible extraction is achievable when social and environmental voices are integral to policy design.