Catholic Bishops representing Oceania say they are “heartened to learn of the systematic and coordinated opposition to seabed mining, which turns the ocean floor into a stage of exploitative destruction of ocean habitats.” The Executive Committee of the Federation of Catholic Bishops Conferences of Oceania (CEPAC), which covers Australia, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands Read more
The Archbishop of Suva, Peter Loy Chong, has expressed concern about the effect development projects are having on people and on the environment. In his Easter message he connected the meaning of Easter and the “destruction of peoples, the environment and the planet.” A locally-based company, Gold Rock Investment Ltd, has invested more than $16 Read more
Caritas coordinators from 19 Catholic Dioceses of the Catholic Church of Papua New Guinea oppose the decision to experiment with seabed mining. The group have issued a statement saying the negative impacts of the mine greatly outweigh the anticipated benefits. “Therefore, in solidarity with Alliance of Solwara Warriors, Bismarck Ramu Group, and other concerned organisations, Read more
The Pacific must not be allowed to become a testing ground for deep sea mining and regional governments must stop issuing licences immediately. Pacific Conference of Churches Treaties Adviser Murray Isimeli says the region cannot afford damage to the environment by testing. “There is no evidence on what effect testing or mining will have so Read more
The Pacific Conference of Churches, at the end of its tenth Assembly has passed resolutions about the following topics: Tahiti independence West Papua independence Freedom Sunday Nuclear testing Seabed mining Solidarity on mining Tourism, fishing and forestry Facilitating the concerns of members by engaging on the issue with agencies such as the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat Read more