Episode 39: "One Wave, One Voice": Deep-Sea Minerals and Their Impact on Geopolitical Competition in the Pacific

This episode introduces a new segment in our Coming to the Mat series for 2025, spotlighting climate change and other pressing issues reshaping the Pacific's political landscape, such as deep-sea mining.

Recorded last year and released today, this timely discussion underscores the urgency of fostering awareness and dialogue at national and community levels.

We are joined by Dr. Tarcisius Kabutaulaka, a renowned political scientist and proud son of the Weather Coast of Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands. Dr. Kabutaulaka holds a PhD from the Australian National University and undergraduate and MA degrees from the University of the South Pacific (USP). He joined the Center for Pacific Islands Studies in 2009 and served as its director from 2018 to 2021. Before that, he was a Research Fellow at the East-West Center’s Pacific Islands Development Program and taught history and political science at USP.

With extensive experience as an academic, editor, and consultant, Dr. Kabutaulaka has worked with governments, NGOs, and international organizations across the Pacific. His work covers topics such as governance, the Solomon Islands civil unrest, regional interventions, the forestry industry, and China's influence in Oceania. He is also a peace negotiator, having played a key role in the 2000 Townsville peace talks following conflicts in the Solomon Islands.

In this episode, Dr. Kabutaulaka shares his insights on how the pursuit of deep-sea resources is reshaping the region’s geopolitics, governance, and environmental policies.

This conversation continues the dialogue from a webinar hosted by Pacific Peoples’ Partnership last year, featuring distinguished speakers:

  • Hon. Ralph Regenvanu, then Minister of Climate Change in Vanuatu, advocating for a moratorium on deep-sea mining.

  • Dr. Catherine Coumans, Research Coordinator at MiningWatch Canada, highlights the dangers of seabed mining.

  • Dr. Keron Niles, a lecturer at the University of the West Indies, specializes in sustainable policy and green energy transitions.

Join us as we revisit this vital discussion, amplifying Pacific voices and fostering collective action to navigate these complex challenges. 

Music Credit: https://youtu.be/QXE4LsEMCP4?si=9dtbmbG-QQmrNsAo


Jason SovickComment