US-Cook Islands deal raises concerns over seabed-mining talks between a super power and a tiny island
- Admin
- 7 minutes ago
- 4 min read
By Ron Rocky Coloma
A new framework agreement between the United States and the Cook Islands heightens concerns about the accelerating plans to exploit the Pacific oceanfloor, with critics warning the arrangement could tilt power toward Washington while shaping the future of deep-sea mining in the region.
Although the agreement is described as nonbinding, analysts say its structure could still influence how seabed resources are developed in the Cook Islands and across the Pacific.
Central to the agreement is the creation of a U.S.-Cook Islands Working Group focused on cooperation around critical minerals found on the ocean floor.
The Cook Islands government has highlighted regulatory safeguards for potential mining activity. Critics say the partnership raises questions about how decisions may be influenced when a global superpower works alongside a small island nation.
Adam Wolfenden, deputy coordinator at the Pacific Network on Globalisation, said the working group could become a mechanism for advancing U.S. interests in securing minerals needed for military and industrial supply chains.
“The establishment of the U.S.-Cook Islands Working Group will be a vehicle for the U.S. to press for decisions in support of extracting the critical minerals they seek for military purposes, raising major questions about how the Working Group will work and what accountability and transparency it will have for Cook Islanders,” Wolfenden said.
He also pointed to the imbalance between the two partners.
“It means that if there is a disagreement regarding the implementation of the agreement, the U.S. has greater leverage to push its approach,” Wolfenden said. “This could see the U.S., through the Working Group, advocating for an approach to DSM that may not be what is wanted by Cook Islands communities.”
He said the Cook Islands government’s regulatory process could face pressure if geopolitical or economic interests intensify.
“While the Cook Islands government is boasting of its stringent regulatory process, this may become compromised on account of pressure from the U.S., undermining concerns or measures meant to address environmental or impact assessments,” he said.
The agreement comes as competition intensifies globally for critical minerals such as cobalt, nickel and manganese, used in batteries, renewable energy technologies and defense systems.
In parts of the Pacific, seabed resources are increasingly viewed as a potential revenue source for economies that rely heavily on tourism, fisheries and foreign aid.
Supporters say seabed mining could create economic opportunities while helping diversify global supply chains.
Critics argue the industry remains largely untested and could cause environmental damage that scientists do not yet fully understand.
Wolfenden said the framework, even though it is nonbinding, creates incentives that could accelerate development of the industry.
“This framework, while being non-binding, creates the incentives and pressure points for moving ahead with deep-sea mining,” he said. “As Te Ipukarea Society stated, this is about establishing the ‘how’ not the ‘if’ of DSM by creating an infrastructure for financing and investment into an industry that is untested and dangerous.”
Scientists have described deep ocean ecosystems as among the least studied environments on Earth.
“What worries me the most is not just one specific impact, it's that we are operating in one of the least understood ecosystems on the planet,” Wolfenden said.
“Our knowledge is still limited, and when the potential damage will be permanent, that creates a significant risk. Beyond ecology, there are social and economic stakes, fisheries and local communities will be affected."
Potential impacts may extend beyond national boundaries.
“While there is a need for national decisions to be determined nationally, there is a need for a regional response to the regional dangers posed by any activation of deep-sea mining,” Wolfenden said. “There have been numerous reports about the concerns for impacts on fish stocks, tourism and the climate regulatory functions of the ocean.”
Wolfenden also cautioned that language in investment agreements about stable or predictable regulatory environments can carry consequences that are often overlooked.
“Stability is important for investors. However, the body of evidence regarding international arbitration on terms like ‘predictable’ regulatory environments has led to private corporations suing governments over changes in policy, even when those changes were made to address environmental or social impacts,” he said. “These terms are not benign, and this is something that people should be aware of.”
He argued efficiency should not drive mining approvals.
“For a new, untested and dangerous industry like DSM, the goal of granting permits should not be efficiency. It should be about ensuring that any potential issues are mitigated,” Wolfenden said.
The debate is unfolding amid geopolitical competition over mineral supply chains.
The United States and China are both seeking to secure reliable access to materials considered essential to economic growth and national security.
Pacific island countries, which control vast ocean territories believed to contain mineral resources, are increasingly finding themselves at the center of that competition.
Wolfenden said the region has historically tried to balance relationships with larger powers.
“The Pacific island countries have been very strategic in leveraging competition between major and middle powers to gain development financing and political capital,” he said. “This has been helped by many adopting a ‘friends to all, enemies to none’ approach.”
But exclusive arrangements could alter that dynamic.
“Agreeing to align resources with U.S. military and geostrategic interests in exclusive agreements that are widely acknowledged as targeting China indicates a willingness to pick sides, so to speak,” Wolfenden said.
Civil society groups have called for broader consultation with Cook Islands communities before any mining activity moves forward.
“This is something that must be driven and decided by Cook Islanders themselves,” Wolfenden said.
He also pointed to the region’s past experiences with resource extraction.
“The experience of the Pacific being the testing ground for nuclear weapons and waste is probably the most relevant lesson when it comes to deep-sea mining,” Wolfenden said.
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