Nearly 300 registrations for the International Cobalt Institute webinar were received from a wide range of stakeholders in Government, civil society, industry, the media and academia.

The registrations reflect the high interest in Sea Bed Mining (SBM) development, for the Cobalt Institute's first webinar of the year.

The discussions focused on different perspectives on SBM to promote a better understanding of relevant issues.

“For our forefathers – and for us today – our role and responsibility as custodians of our ocean is important to us,” said Prime Minister Mark Brown, the Minister responsible for SBM in the Cook Islands, in his keynote speech.

“We take (our ocean’s) management as seriously today as our forefathers did a thousand years ago when they first settled our islands during the great voyages of discovery by the Polynesian seafarers who navigated our vast Moana Nui o Kiva.”

Brown also discussed other topics including: Improving understanding of the Cook Islands marine environment, developing and testing new technologies, making science-based decisions, regulation and governance, and informing and involving Cook Islanders.

Metals like cobalt are essential for energy transition, with deep seabed minerals increasingly being considered as a potential source.

In mid-February 2022, the Cook Island’s Seabed Minerals Authority (SMA) approved three seabed minerals exploration licences.

During the exploration phase, these companies will test, collect data, and adapt their technology to minimise environmental impacts by taking a precautionary approach.

“The onus is on our licence holders to be innovative – we cannot change the environment in which they operate but they can adapt their technology,” said Brown.

“I put this challenge to the industry – be innovative – bring your best game. The stakes are high and those that develop the best technology will most likely be the ones that are successful when decisions are made.

He told licence holders they must provide reliable data and information to assist in making informed decisions on whether harvesting could be allowed or not.

“There will be many challenges to building a successful SBM sector and overcoming them will require collaboration and understanding with all stakeholders, but especially with our Cook Islands people.

“It is my hope that we will see Governments, civil society, industry and our communities cooperating to develop this sector in a responsible and sustainable way for the betterment of humankind.”

Panel discussions looked into risks and opportunities and what considerations must be addressed for societies and communities that may be impacted by seabed minerals activity.

Panellists agreed on the importance of including stakeholders in decisions, as well as gathering more data and information to better understand our deep sea marine environment to ensure decisions are made in a fair and scientific manner.

Seabed Minerals Commissioner Alex Herman spoke about efforts made on a national level in the Cook Islands to ensure the protection of the Marae Moana in line with the Cook Islands sustainability goals.

In 2021, the Seabed Minerals Authority visited 12 of the Cook Islands' 13 inhabited islands and will continue its work to inform and consult openly with Cook Islands communities on the SBM sector.