Whether the government approves two seabed mining applications or chooses a precautionary approach, the stakes are high and other Pacific nations will be watching.

Around the Cook Islands, the world’s two most powerful countries are exploring the possibility of deep-sea mining for critical minerals

Deep-sea mining could provide a substantial supply of metals that we urgently need to decarbonize our society, yet its environmental impact remains intractable. Considering on-land resources remain ab...