French Polynesias president has issued a stark warning over the risks of deepsea mining saying it will be allowed in his territory over my dead body as he argues the potential for environmental damage outweighs any benefits Moetai Brothersons comments to the Guardian come as countries in the Pacific and elsewhere grapple with whether to extract minerals from the sea floor Deepsea mining has not yet begun but some companies and countries are exploring the practice which could start in the coming years Were playing gods with the cradle of life and thats way too dangerous Brotherson said from his office in Papeete Asked if he would consider deepsea mining in the future Brotherson said Over my dead body French Polynesia is located in the South Pacific Ocean about halfway between Australia and South America It consists of more than 100 islands including Tahiti and Bora Bora Although technically still under French sovereignty the islands are largely autonomous with their own government currency and local laws Under French Polynesias statute of autonomy France has ultimate jurisdiction over what it deems strategic materials which includes the minerals found in the seabed Brothersons administration is attempting to get the statute modified Brotherson was elected in 2023 as a member of the proindependence Tāvini Huiraʻatira party He said deepsea mining was a lure for Pacific Island countries which might see the practice as a shortcut to a better social and economic situation Deepsea mining involves extracting minerals and metals such as nickel cobalt and copper from the deep seabed at depths greater than 200m These minerals are used in a range of products including batteries electronics and renewable energies Proponents say mining the deep sea will support the green energy transition and aid the development of Pacific Island economies Others argue the practice could have a devastating impact on the seabed and the longterm consequences for the environment and ocean ecosystems are uncertain Deepsea mining has divided Pacific island governments While some including French Polynesia and Micronesia are against the idea others such as the Cook Islands and Nauru have been actively pursuing partnerships with mining companies as a way to diversify their economies In February the Cook Islands signed a strategic partnership deal with China which included cooperation to explore deepsea mining in the Cook Islands exclusive economic zone EEZ In March Kiribati announced it would also be exploring a deepsea mining partnership with China Other large states including Russia and South Korea hold exploration contracts and companies are pushing to begin mining the deep sea French Polynesias presidential palace in the capital Papeete Photograph Atea Lee Chip SaoThe Guardian While Brotherson supports the right of the Cook Islands to exploit its deepsea resources he doesnt agree with it From our perspective its very disturbing because it sets a precedent and also ignores the fact that undersea pollution doesnt have boundaries said Brotherson who noted that pollution from mining in the Cook Islands could end up in French Polynesian waters Dr Lorenz Gonschor an expert on Pacific regionalism and governance at the University of the South Pacific said exploration of deep ocean resources was likely to happen in the future He said as large ocean nations the emerging practice gave Pacific islands tremendous importance in the sense that they will now potentially have huge economic resources The French president Emmanuel Macron currently supports a ban on deepsea mining but Brotherson worries that could change with the election of a new president in France France has complicated relationships with its Pacific Island colonies which also includes New Caledonia and Wallis and Futuna New Caledonia saw violent unrest and protests last year sparked by voting reforms proposed by the French parliament Brotherson has stated publicly that he would consider holding a referendum on independence from France in the next 10 to 15 years France however has shown no indication of moving towards decolonisation for French Polynesia rejecting calls for independence at the 2023 UN special committee on decolonisation and continuing to maintain an active military presence in the islands Macron during his last visit to French Polynesia in 2021 emphasised strengthening the existing relationship Gonschor acknowledged that independence for French Polynesia would be a big challenge particularly because of its history of economic subsidies and superficial development from France Still he believed there was a chance of seeing independence in our lifetimes From a geopolitical standpoint its unavoidable In the long run France wont be able to afford to keep these overseas colonies Brotherson is willing to take a slow path to secure independence the right way and start by building French Polynesias economic selfresilience which includes a sustainable tourism and energy transition as well as a move to boost the local agricultural sector and prioritise the digital economy Id rather not see independence in my time if its being rushed and done wrong It would be great if I could see it but its not about me Brotherson said Its about the people in the country he said