Newly engineered deep sea mining machinery sits waiting at Port Moresby. Canadian company Nautilus Minerals wants to mine gold and copper 1600m underwater in Papua New Guinea’s Bismarck Sea.

The surrounding coastal communities already know about the disastrous impacts of land-based mining, and are also confronted with rising sea levels.

Legal action is afoot and the campaign is growing in strength. The Alliance of the Solwara Warriors is bringing people together on the frontline of extractivism and global warming, to defend their land and livelihoods.

Website: Deep Sea Mining campaign

Image: Participants at an open forum calling for a ban on seabed mining in Namatanai, New Ireland Province, Papua New Guinea, 2017.

Earth Matters #1115 was produced by Gem Romuld.