New Caledonia this week imposed a 50-year ban on deep-sea mining across its entire maritime zone – a rare and sweeping move that places the French Pacific territory among the most restrictive in the world on seabed extraction.
The law blocks all commercial exploration, prospecting and mining of mineral resources within New Caledonia's exclusive economic zone – an area of 1.3 million square kilometres.
Only non-invasive scientific research will be permitted.
Lawmakers in the Congress of New Caledonia adopted the moratorium on Tuesday with broad support.
“Rather than giving in to the logic of immediate profit, New Caledonia can choose to be a pioneer in ocean protection,” said Jérémie Katidjo Monnier, the local government member responsible for the issue, during the public session.
“It is also a strategic lever to assert our environmental sovereignty in the face of multinationals and a strong signal of commitment to future generations,” he added.
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Unique marine ecosystems
New Caledonia is considered a global hotspot for marine biodiversity. Its waters are home to nearly one-third of the world’s remaining pristine coral reefs. These now account for just 1.5 percent of reefs worldwide.
Supporters of the law argue that deep-sea mining could cause serious and irreversible harm to fragile marine ecosystems. But not everyone agreed with the approach.
Members of the Loyalists and Rassemblement-LR groups – both aligned with pro-French, anti-independence parties – abstained from the vote. They argued the measure was “too rigid” and described its legal basis as “largely disproportionate”.
Nicolas Metzdorf, a Renaissance MP aligned with the Loyalists, said the decision clashed with the territory’s broader economic goals.
“All our political action on the nickel question is directed toward more exploitation,” he said. “And here, we’re presenting ourselves as defenders of the environment for deep-sea beds we’ve never even seen.”
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US mining push
The vote in New Caledonia came just days after United States President Donald Trump signed a decree on 24 April authorising deep-sea mining in international waters – a move that has drawn sharp criticism from international bodies.
“No state has the right to unilaterally exploit the mineral resources of the area outside the legal framework established by UNCLOS,” said Leticia Carvalho, head of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) – referring to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
The United States is not a signatory to the treaty, which established the ISA in 1982 and describes international waters and their resources as “the common heritage of humankind”.
Carvalho said Washington had long been a reliable observer and contributor to the ISA’s work, but warned that taking unilateral action “sets a dangerous precedent that could destabilise the entire system of global ocean governance”.
France’s ambassador for maritime affairs, Olivier Poivre d’Arvor, asserted that “the deep sea is not for sale” and that the high seas “belong to no one”.
Divided Pacific response
While New Caledonia is opting for long-term environmental protection, other Pacific nations are taking a different view.
Nauru and the Cook Islands have expressed support for seabed exploration.
Pacific Island states began discussing the issue earlier this year within the Pacific Islands Forum, but no joint position has yet been agreed.
