PINA

North Korea has called upon the international community to stop Japan from releasing treated wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear plant into the ocean. “The just international community must not sit and watch the evil, anti-humanitarian and belligerent action by the corrupt force that is trying to disrupt humanity’s home of the blue planet – and must unite to thoroughly stop...

Nauru wants permission to mine the ocean floor for critical minerals used to make batteries for the global transition to net zero, saying it would give the tiny Pacific nation the chance of economic survival with the end of offshore processing. Potato-sized nodules laden with some metals, including cobalt, manganese and nickel, required to make the batteries needed for electric...

Governments will soon likely be able to apply for deep sea mining contracts in international waters, a plunge into the unknown that is worrying conservationists as calls for a moratorium on such digging grow. States have for ten years been negotiating a mining code to set rules for the possible exploitation of nickel, cobalt and copper in deep seabed areas...

Survivors of a New Zealand Navy peace mission to observe nuclear weapons testing in French Polynesia 50 years ago are calling for more official recognition. France conducted around 190 nuclear tests from 1966 to 1996 at Mururoa and Fangataufa atolls. More than 40 atmospheric tests were also carried out in the region. In 1973, after France ignored an international court ruling to...

The Japan Coast Guard has provided its counterpart in the Pacific island country of Kiribati with technical support to crack down on illegal fishing boats. The move came following China's recent increased presence in the region. Japan sent three officers for the support programme from 19 - 26 June in the capital, Tarawa. The programme was the first of its kind...

Governments have agreed to an improved set of climate goals for the shipping sector after climate vulnerable Pacific nations and trade-reliant emerging economies struck a compromise at talks in London. After two weeks of negotiations which Kiribati’s negotiator described as “challenging and distressing” for everyone, negotiators at the headquarters of the United Nations shipping arm rose to applaud the agreement...

The Pacific Islands Forum Chair, Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown will receive a high-level mission from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) led by Director-General Rafael Grossi in Rarotonga, Cook Islands from 10 – 11 July. The IAEA delegation will present their report on the Safety Review of the ALPS-treated water at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. Prime Minister...

A Pacific Islands Forum expert panellist has criticised the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for “ignoring one of its own fundamental principles”, in its report on the upcoming dump of treated nuclear wastewater into the Pacific Ocean. The IAEA's principle means it must prove the benefits outweigh the harm to society and individuals. The IAEA has presented Japan with its final...

Solomon Islands Government has declared its ongoing concern about the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report endorsing Japan’s plan to release radioactive water into the Pacific Ocean. It joins other Pacific regional governments in calling on Tokyo for a deferral. A statement issued through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated that, “Solomon Islands Government remains concerned about the International Atomic...

The list of countries calling for a pause on deep-sea mining continued to grow this week ahead of a key moment that mining companies hope will launch the fledgling industry, and its opponents hope could clip its wings, perhaps for good. Ireland and Sweden became the latest developed economies to join critics, including scientists, environmental organisations and multinationals such as...