The Pacific Ocean, an immense and powerful force — dynamic, life-sustaining, and deeply complex.
“Ocean is vast, Oceania is expanding. Oceania is hospitable and generous, Oceania is humanity rising from the depths of brine and regions of fire deeper still, Oceania is us. We are the sea, we are the ocean, we must wake up to this ancient truth and together use it to overturn all hegemonic views that ultimately aim to confine us again, physically and psychologically, in the tiny spaces that we have resisted accepting as our sole appointed places and from which we have recently liberated ourselves. We must not allow anyone to belittle us again, and take away our freedom. – Hau’ofa, E. 1994. Our Sea of Islands”
And perhaps summarize what Colonialism, Capitalism, Climate Change, Nuclear testing and extractivism did to the Pacific and continues to do in the Pacific…..plain truths!
Facts about Deep Sea Mining: What It Means for the Pacific
The Pacific Ocean is a source of life. It feeds us, connects us, and holds our stories. For generations, Pacific peoples have protected the Moana — not just for ourselves, but for the world.
But now, that ocean is under threat from a dangerous and unnecessary industry: deep sea mining.
Companies like The Metals Company (TMC) want to tear up the seafloor in search of minerals — and they’re targeting the Pacific as their testing ground. We can’t let that happen.
Here’s what you need to know about deep sea mining — and why we must stop it before it starts.
Greenpeace International activists from around the world have paddled and protested around MV COCO, a specialized offshore drilling vessel currently collecting data for deep sea mining frontrunner, The Metals Company, on its last expedition before it files the world’s first ever application to mine the seabed in the Pacific Ocean.
What is Deep Sea Mining?
Deep sea mining involves using giant machines to extract metals like cobalt and nickel from the ocean floor, often at depths of 4,000 to 6,000 metres. These metals are found in three main forms; Polymetallic nodules scattered across the seafloor, Polymetallic sulphides around hydrothermal vents, and Cobalt-rich crusts on underwater mountains called seamounts.
Mining companies say this is needed for the “green transition” — but that’s not true. We already have alternatives, and we can build better systems without destroying the deep sea.
This isn’t about saving the planet. It’s about profit.
What’s at Risk for the Pacific?
The deep sea is one of the most fragile and least understood ecosystems on Earth. Life there evolves slowly — some species live for hundreds or even thousands of years. We’re only just beginning to understand how it all works.
Tearing up the seabed could:
Wipe out species before they’re even discovered
Disrupt climate systems by interfering with carbon storage
Spread toxic sediment that harms marine life across the ocean
Risk to Pacific Food security
Once it’s gone, it’s gone for good.
Pacific Ocean yellow fin tuna being cooked on the island of Kiribati. All over the globe, fish stocks are in an alarming state due to overfishing done by large and destructive fishing fleets. Greenpeace has visited low impact fishermen and small fishing communities to document how their livelihoods are affected by this situation.
This Is About More Than the Environment
For Pacific peoples, the ocean is family. It holds our history, our culture, and our future. It’s not a resource to be exploited — it’s a sacred space to be protected.
Deep sea mining threatens to break that relationship. It’s not just environmental destruction — it’s cultural loss. It violates our right to protect the spaces our ancestors have cared for over generations for our future generations?
The recent discovery of “dark oxygen”—oxygen produced in the ocean’s depths without sunlight—has profound implications for our understanding of marine ecosystems. This phenomenon, identified in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, suggests that metallic nodules can generate oxygen through electrolysis, a process previously unknown in such environments. This revelation underscores the complexity and fragility of deep-sea habitats, highlighting the need for caution in any activities that could disrupt these delicate systems.
Image of a Bolitaena pygmaea, a small, lower mesopelagic to bathypelagic octopus (Octopoda).
For Pacific communities, the ocean is not merely a resource but a sacred space integral to our identity and heritage. The potential impacts of deep-sea mining on these newly discovered processes and ecosystems could lead to irreversible cultural and environmental losses. Therefore, it is imperative that decisions regarding the ocean’s future prioritize the protection of its mysteries and the rights of those who have long revered its depths.
Who Really Benefits? (Hint: It’s Not the Pacific)
The deep sea mining industry says it will create opportunities for Pacific nations. But the truth is, companies like The Metals Company are using our leaders— cutting corners, ignoring science, and fast-tracking approvals without consent. They have not only exploited a loophole in international law by using Nauru to fast-track deep sea mining — they’ve also taken full advantage of the Trump administration’s disdain for multilateralism to push their agenda. By undermining global consensus and ignoring scientific warnings, TMC is attempting to mine the ocean floor without proper rules or regional consent.
This isn’t development; it’s a modern-day extraction scheme dressed up as opportunity. While U.S. politicians frame deep sea mining as a geopolitical strategy against China, the real cost will be borne by Pacific communities — yet again left out of decisions that directly affect their environment, their economies, and their future. We’ve been here before — from colonial resource grabs to nuclear testing — and we know who really benefits. It’s not the Pacific.
Greenpeace UK activists hold placards saying “Stop Deep Sea Mining”, “The Metals Company is a bad investment” and “Your best investment is in ocean protection”.
Deep sea mining is a nascent industry which threatens to destroy deep ocean habitats that we still know very little about. In parallel, Greenpeace International activists are in the Pacific Ocean where they have been carrying out a protest against The Metals Company for the past six days.
TMC used Nauru to trigger a controversial loophole at the International Seabed Authority (ISA), trying to rush into mining before global rules are even in place. That’s not partnership — it’s exploitation.
We know how this story goes. We’ve seen it with colonialism. With nuclear testing. With climate change.
We Need a Moratorium Now
A moratorium on deep sea mining would pause this dangerous industry before it causes irreversible harm. It’s our best chance to:
Let science catch up
Give communities a real say
Protect the ocean for future generations and all humankind
Countries like Vanuatu, Palau, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Tuvalu and Fiji have already taken a stand. We need more leaders — and everyday people — to rise up.
The Pacific is Not a Mining Zone
The ocean is not a profit-making playground for corporations. It’s a life force — and it belongs to all of us.
Deep sea mining is a destructive industry driven by reckless greed. But we still have time to stop it.
Together, we can protect our moana, honour the wisdom of Pacific guardians, and clearly say: No to deep sea mining in the Pacific — Not Now, Not Ever.
Join the Movement
Call on governments to back a global moratorium. Stand in solidarity with Pacific communities leading the resistance. [Sign the petition] to help protect our blue Pacific home.
The deep sea is not for sale. Let’s rise up to protect it — together.
After the United States announced last week it would withdraw from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), effectively slashing more than a fifth of its core budget, the organisation’s head said it could “manage” the US exit, as top officials argued the energy transition is “unstoppable”.
Speaking to reporters at IRENA’s 16th Assembly in Abu Dhabi, Director-General Francesco La Camera said the US had yet to formally notify the agency it would be leaving. IRENA’s statute says withdrawal of a member country takes effect at the end of the year in which it is notified.
Until that point, they remain a member with all its rights, including the right to vote, but also “the duty to pay”, La Camera added.
The decision will make the US the only country to leave the UNFCCC, with the UN climate chief calling it a “colossal own goal” that will harm the US economy
The surge in employment linked to clean energy equipment and installation is slowing as large-scale plants and increasing automation require less labour
Even as it faces international condemnation over the Gaza war, Israel is working to boost natural gas exports and offshore exploration to strengthen its strategic and regional ties
On Sunday, IRENA’s member countries – around 170 in total – adopted a budget for the coming two years, which shows the US is expected to contribute 22% of IRENA’s core funding, with its share amounting to nearly $5.7 million for 2026.
La Camera said IRENA is already talking to governments and the private sector to fill the potential financial hole if the US does not deliver on its financial obligations, as has been the case in previous years with the UN climate secretariat and the Green Climate Fund.
“We know that some of these usual donors are considering to put something in our budget – we are also trying to get some money from the companies that are part of our initiatives… and we will see other ways that we can pursue,” he added. “I know that we can manage one way or another.”
During country statements made on Sunday afternoon, which were closed to the media, there had been expectations that China might step up to close the gap, but that did not happen.
The United Arab Emirates, Germany and other European nations are substantial government donors to IRENA, although the agency’s core budget has barely risen since 2018, documents show. That has limited its ability to expand its activities even as demand rises across developing countries and small island states for greater technical and policy support to boost renewables.
La Camera noted that, following the US decision to pull out under Donald Trump, IRENA’s council may need to propose amendments to its approved budget for 2026-2027 ahead of its next meeting in May.
Melford Nicholas, minister of information technologies, utilities and energy for Antigua and Barbuda, who is also a newly elected vice president of IRENA, told Climate Home News the US move would “not be an insignificant development” but Europeans had indicated they could help make up the shortfall.
Clean energy for “opportunity and necessity”
At the opening session of the two-day assembly, La Camera and other top officials affirmed the importance of renewable energy as the best choice for energy and economic security at a time of rising geopolitical tensions driven by fossil fuel interests.
Selwin Hart,special adviser to the UN Secretary-General on Climate Action and Just Transition, said the world is clearly changing its energy system to clean sources “not out of idealism, but out of opportunity and necessity”.
He noted that three out of four people live in countries that are net importers of fossil fuels, exposing them to geopolitical shocks, volatile prices and balance of payment pressures.
Examples of this include the rise in gas prices in Europe after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2024 led to sanctions.
“The energy transition is taking place… not only based on climate considerations, but based on costs, based on competitiveness and energy security and energy independence,” Hart added. “These are the driving forces now – hardcore economic, hardcore national security [and] strategic reasons.”
In a video message, Annalena Baerbock, president of the UN General Assembly and former foreign minister of Germany, said “we are living in heavy, challenging times” – but despite setbacks and political headwinds, “the march to a renewable energy future has proven unstoppable”.
She added that global renewable capacity has now reached more than 4,400 gigawatts, almost 30 times that of 2015 when the Paris climate agreement was adopted, while a record $2.4 trillion was invested in the energy transition in 2024. “There is no way back,” she added.
However, she and Hart both noted that more needs to be done to support African countries to unlock finance for clean energy, as it lags far behind other regions and receives only around 2% of investment in the sector.
Challenges for small island states
The substantial needs of small island developing states (SIDS) are also front and centre at the IRENA Assembly, where ministers have discussed the challenges of shifting away from costly diesel and other polluting fuels while being exposed to rising climate shocks such as destructive cyclones.
Antigua and Barbuda’s minister Nicholas pointed to the difficulty of gaining insurance for renewable energy facilities as a key barrier in an era when storms can cause huge damage.
This happened in Barbuda in 2017 when Hurricane Irma wiped out a solar plant that was not insured. Governments including the United Arab Emirates and New Zealand helped to rebuild it.
Antigua and Barbuda’s Minister Melford Nicholas speaks at the IRENA 16th Assembly in Abu Dhabi, UAE, on January 11, 2026 (Photo: IRENA)
Antigua and Barbuda’s Minister Melford Nicholas speaks at the IRENA 16th Assembly in Abu Dhabi, UAE, on January 11, 2026 (Photo: IRENA)
Nicholas said SIDS are still in need of concessional finance, which could “become increasingly challenging for us” in the current international environment.
“It’s an issue, because that retards the speed at which we’re able to get to renewable energy transition,” he added, noting his country is likely to reach an energy mix of around 60% renewables by 2030 rather than the 100% it had aimed for.
Despite the obstacles, ministers from Caribbean countries like St Kitts and Nevis and Dominica showcased examples of planned geothermal plants that will enable them to phase down fossil fuels dramatically.
IRENA’s La Camera said he was optimistic the world would get very close to realising a global goal of tripling renewable energy capacity by the end of this decade, but was still lagging behind on a twin target of doubling energy efficiency by 2030.
To help catalyse a global transition away from fossil fuels, he added that IRENA would work with COP host nations on a roadmap to that end, which they are due to present at the COP31 UN climate summit in Turkey in November, as well as a potential target for electrification consistent with that plan.
Jobs in renewable energy expanded only slightly in 2024 to reach 16.6 million worldwide, new figures show, suggesting that the industry’s ability to create employment is slowing as it matures.
According to an annual report from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the International Labour Organization (ILO), the number of renewables jobs rose by just 2.3% between 2023 and 2024. This was partly due to Chinese solar manufacturers already producing more components than they could sell, and laying off workers to cut costs.
Other factors included a shift from rooftop solar installations to utility-scale systems in major markets like India and Germany, as well as increasing automation in the sector – a trend that is expected to accelerate with the use of robots, drones and artificial intelligence.
Employment in the sector has risen steadily from 7.3 million in 2012, when the data series began, along with the increase in solar, wind and geothermal energy, hydropower and biofuels around the world. But far fewer new jobs were created in 2024 – 400,000 – compared with 2023, which saw a jump of 2.5 million.
Even as it faces international condemnation over the Gaza war, Israel is working to boost natural gas exports and offshore exploration to strengthen its strategic and regional ties
While Trump’s aim of boosting oil production in Venezuela could worsen climate change, high costs and an oversupplied market might make investors think twice
In a foreword to the report released on Sunday, IRENA Director-General Francesco La Camera and ILO Director-General Gilbert F. Houngbo wrote that the slowdown in the rate of job creation points to “the emergence of a new phase in the energy transition”.
“Growing automation and economies of scale mean that comparatively less human labour is required for each new unit of capacity – although impacts vary across countries, technologies and segments of the renewable energy value chain,” they said.
IRENA currently projects that, with the right policies in place, the renewable energy workforce could expand to 30 million jobs by 2030. But the latest figures – which do not reflect the impact of Donald Trump’s squashing of US renewables incentives in 2025 – indicate reaching that level could be a stretch.
Michael Renner, IRENA’s head of socioeconomics and policy, told Climate Home News on the sidelines of the agency’s assembly in Abu Dhabi that, in the past 10-20 years, the renewable energy sector has been far more labour-intensive than the fossil fuel industry – which has largely been automated – but the difference is starting to narrow.
“I think renewables are still looking favourable [for job creation], and I don’t think that advantage will be lost – but I think it will be less massive, less dramatic,” he added.
Notes:
a) Includes liquid biofuels, solid biomass and biogas.
b) Direct jobs only.
c) “Others” includes geothermal energy, concentrated solar power, heat pumps (ground based), municipal and industrial waste,
and ocean energy.
Source: IRENA / Renewable Energy and Jobs
Annual Review 2025
Notes:
a) Includes liquid biofuels, solid biomass and biogas.
b) Direct jobs only.
c) “Others” includes geothermal energy, concentrated solar power, heat pumps (ground based), municipal and industrial waste,
and ocean energy.
Source: IRENA / Renewable Energy and Jobs
Annual Review 2025
Geographical imbalances
The world needs to add a huge amount of solar, wind, hydro and geothermalcapacity to meet a global goal of tripling renewable power capacity to reach 11.2 terawatts (TW) by the end of the decade. That will require installing an average of about 1.1 TW each year from 2025 to 2030, which is about double the power added in 2024, IRENA says.
In a statement on the jobs report, La Camera noted that renewable energy deployment is “booming, but the human side of the story is as important as the technological side”.
He pointed to geographical imbalances in the deployment of clean energy and related job creation. Africa has particularly struggled to attract foreign investment in building out renewables, with much of the growth currently concentrated in Asia.
“Countries that are lagging behind in the energy transition must be supported by the international community,” La Camera said. “This is essential not only to meet the goal of tripling renewable power capacity by 2030, but also to ensure that socioeconomic benefits become lived realities for all, helping to shore up popular support for the transition.”
Some countries like Nigeria are trying to boost their solar equipment manufacturing supply chains, with the government saying it plans to ban solar panel imports, and two large assembly plants announced to support public electrification programmes.
China leads on jobs but solar stumbles
In 2024, China was home to nearly half – 44% – of the world’s renewable energy jobs with an estimated 7.3 million. But in that year, employment in its solar photovoltaics (PV) sector actually contracted slightly, as five leading manufacturers cut their workforce.
This was in response to efforts by the Chinese government to curb what it has dubbed “disorderly” competition by reducing excess capacity across the solar PV supply chain, in a bid to boost prices and product quality.
Renewables jobs stayed flat in the European Union in 2024, meanwhile, at 1.8 million jobs, and India and the US saw small rises, accounting for 1.3 million and 1.1 million respectively. Brazil was also a big employer, with 1.4 million jobs, partly thanks to its biofuels industry based on soy and sugarcane.
On the impact of Trump’s efforts to roll back incentives and subsidies for green energy in the US, Renner said it will likely mean fewer new renewable power installations, with the report documenting examples of solar and wind projects that were cancelled or halted in 2025.
He also noted the dampening effects of US tariff hikes on the production of solar panels in Southeast Asia, which has led to job losses in some countries including Thailand, while others such as India have been able to increase their exports to the US thanks to relatively lower taxes on their exports.
Limited opportunities for women and people with disabilities
The report also highlights a lack of progress on increasing women workers in the renewables industry. While higher than in fossil fuels, it has plateaued at about one job in three.
Those jobs are concentrated in administrative roles, which account for 45% of female employment in renewable energy, as well as in technical positions unrelated to science, technology or engineering, such as legal work.
The report calls for greater efforts by companies, education and skills training bodies to open up more opportunities for women in clean energy, as well as for people with disabilities who face high barriers to participating in labour markets across the board, with only three in 10 being employed worldwide.
There are some positive cases where proactive policies have made a difference, such as in India’s electric vehicle industry, which has a relatively high level of women at the management level.
In Brazil, meanwhile, national legislation requires companies with more than 100 employees to reserve 2-5% of jobs for people with disabilities, including those in renewable energy.
And in Spain, energy utility Endesa and municipalities trained over 300 people with intellectual and psycho-social disabilities in tasks like vegetation management and composting at solar energy sites, with nearly 40% securing jobs after six months.
ILO’s Houngbo called for greater efforts on disability inclusion in the clean energy transition, not just as a matter of justice but also to advance resilient labour markets and sustainable development.
“This requires accessible training systems, inclusive hiring practices, and workplaces that accommodate, welcome and respond to diverse needs and respect every worker’s rights,” he added.
Climate Home News received support from IRENA to travel to Abu Dhabi to covers its 16th Assembly.
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