Entertainment
Bishops of the Pacific urge caution over deep-sea mining
As commercial deep-sea mining is increasingly being considered in parts of the Pacific, the Bishops of the Pacific region call for prudence, insisting that “when there exists a genuine possibility of serious or irreversible harm, the absence of complete scientific certainty should never become an excuse for proceeding without due care.”
By Deborah Castellano Lubov
“Until there is convincing evidence that such activity can be undertaken without causing serious or irreversible harm, prudence calls us to exercise great caution.”
The Episcopal Conference of the Pacific (CEPAC) expressed this in a pastoral statement issued on Aug. 10 on deep-sea mining, signed by the Conference’s President, Archbishop Ryan P. Jimenez of Agaña, Guam, who also serves as President of the Federation of Catholic Bishops’ Conferences of Oceania (FCBCO).
In the letter, the Bishops stated, “We respectfully encourage all who bear responsibility for decisions concerning deep-sea mining to proceed with wisdom, transparency, humility, and genuine concern for the common good.”
For generations, they noted, humanity has extracted the mineral resources of the earth to sustain economic development, often without fully considering the long-term consequences for our common home.
Imminent concerns
Yet today, they pointed out, commercial deep-sea mining in the region appears increasingly imminent, warning that large areas of the Pacific seabed, including the 33 million acres in the waters surrounding American Samoa and areas near the Mariana Trench Marine National Monument, are now being considered for commercial leasing.
Governments, scientists, Indigenous communities, churches, and many people of goodwill, the Bishops of the Pacific noted, have been prompted by these developments to engage in an important conversation about the future of their ocean and the legacy they will leave to those who come after us.
They went on to recall that, as pastors, their responsibility is to proclaim the Gospel and to illuminate these questions in the light of the Church’s social teaching.
With this in mind, they reiterated that the resources of creation are entrusted not only to this generation, but those who will follow.
Prudence required where science remains uncertain
“History,” they noted, “teaches us that when science remains uncertain about the consequences of actions that may cause serious or irreversible harm, wisdom calls us to proceed with humility, prudence, and prayerful discernment.”
For Pacific peoples, the Bishops explained, this conviction is deeply rooted in their way of life. They expressed their hope that their generation would be remembered “not for what it extracted” from Creation, but “for what it protected.”
Pointing out that deep ocean remains one of the least understood ecosystems on Earth, scientists, the prelates noted, “acknowledge that much about its biodiversity, its ecological relationships, and its long-term resilience is still unknown.”
As a result, they warned that decisions taken today could have consequences that cannot easily be reversed.
“When there exists a genuine possibility of serious or irreversible harm,” the Bishops insisted, “the absence of complete scientific certainty should never become an excuse for proceeding without due care.”
Not opposed to technological advancement
Prudence, they recognised, “is not an obstacle to progress,” but “the virtue that enables authentic progress to serve both humanity and creation.”
“The Church does not oppose scientific research or responsible economic development, but rather,” the Bishops highlighted, “calls us to ensure that technological advancement always respects the dignity of the human person, protects the integrity of creation, and serves the common good.”
Care for creation, they noted, cannot be separated from justice, peace, culture, and the dignity of peoples.
Finally, the Bishops of the Pacific prayed that “Christ, through whom all things were created and in whom all things hold together, grant wisdom to our leaders, courage to our communities, and hearts that remain attentive to both the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor.”
“May the Holy Spirit guide us to make decisions rooted in truth, justice, and charity, so that future generations may inherit an ocean that continues to proclaim the glory of God and sustain the peoples of the Pacific,” they stated.
Source link
