Tonga moves toward deep-sea mineral exploration with US, raising en­vi­ron­men­tal questions

Tonga’s newly elected Prime Minister, Lord Fatafehi Fakafānua, welcomed a new partnership with the United States to explore deep-sea minerals, calling it an “exciting development” for the island nation. The agreement focuses on advancing scientific research to better understand seabed mineral resources in the Pacific Ocean. However, environmental groups and civil society leaders warn that deep-sea mining could damage fragile marine ecosystems and threaten communities that depend on the ocean for their livelihoods. Critics also argue that the public was not adequately consulted about the agreement and are calling for greater transparency and caution.

Source: adapted from The Guardian, March 2026.