The Pacific Theological College in Fiji is partnering with the G20 Interfaith Forum to promote an Interfaith Forum Seminar on “Ecological Racism and Deep-Sea Mining in the Pacific.” This activity is starting off the premises that the discussion about racism is not just a human issue, but also an ecological issue, especially from the perspective of a Pacific island kinship perspective. Therefore, the webinar aims to open up critical conversations and facing with honesty and courage the challenges of Deep-Sea Mining (DSM) in the Pacific while also raising awareness about the following questions:
1. Is there a potential link between DSM and racism?
2. Is it ethical to sacrifice the bottom of the ocean that belongs to one race to benefit a renewed development focus driven by a particular privileged race?
3. The DSM debate is framed around moving to clean green renewable economy to solve the climate crisis. Are the environmental risks of DSM worth the environmental benefits of solving the climate crisis? Who (what race) really benefits from DSM?
4. If the world moves ahead with DSM, would that mean we’re going to do away with land-based mining?
5. How would the Pacific Aiga deal with this issue, regionally and nationally, given that some countries of the Pacific household are now moving ahead with DSM?
6. Some are raising the importance of having an urgent DSM moratorium to protect the ocean and peoples. Is this enough?
7. To what extent the awareness and publicity this issue needs to have?
Main speakers are His Eminence Sir John Cardinal Ribat, MSC, DD, KB (Metropolitan Archbishop of Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea), Hon. Ralph Regenvanu (Vanuatu’s former Minister of Lands and Natural Resources), Catherine Coumans, PhD (Research Coordinator and Pacific Program Coordinator (Asia) at MiningWatch, based in Canada), and Kristina M. Gjerde, J.D. (is Senior High Seas Advisor to IUCN’s Global Marine and Polar Programme). The event is moderated by Maureen Penjueli (Coordinator for the Pacific Network on Globalisation), Dr Athena Peralta (Programme Executive for Economic and Ecological Justice at the World Council of Churches) and Rev Professor Dr Upolu Luma Vaai (Principal of the Pacific Theological College in Fiji).
The event is held on February 17 at 10:00 am (Fiji Time); 8:00 am (PNG Time) 9:00 am (Vanuatu Time), which corresponds to February 16 at 5:00 pm (EST Time) and 11:00 pm (European Central Time). For more information on the project and the event, contact Dr. Opolu Luma Vaai: ulvaai@ptc.ac.fj