UCC’s Pacific partner issues deep sea mining resolution: Collaborative action needed to battle harmful practice   

On July 24, the Congregational Christian Church of American Samoa (CCCAS), gathering for its XXXVI General Assembly, took a stand against the catastrophic practice of deep-sea mining in the Pacific region.  

After two weeks of prayer, more than 600 delegates representing 120 congregations throughout the Pacific, adopted the “Resolution on Deep Sea Mining and the Protection of God’s Creation.”  

“As a Pacific church whose identity is inseparably tied to the ocean, we heard with deep concern about the growing threat posed by proposed and ongoing seabed mining activities in our region,” wrote the Rev. Nafatali Falealii, CCCAS General Secretary.  

Activities, Falealii said, that “may bring irreversible harm to marine biodiversity, fisheries, and the health of ocean systems, with profound consequences for Indigenous communities whose cultures, livelihoods, and spiritual heritage are rooted in the moana [which translates into ocean or deep sea].” 

The resolution, an act of “prayerful witness,” calls for collaboration with ecumenical partners worldwide, including the United Church of Christ, which has had a long-standing partnership with CCCAS.  

The CCCAS encourages congregations to “advocate for precautionary, science‑based policies,” and engage international governments to “ensure that ocean governance prioritizes the wellbeing of creation.”  

Deep sea mining has been gaining momentum in recent years, making it one of the most recent threats to biodiversity. Oceanographic magazine reported the United State government’s newly formed Marine Minerals Administration outlined plans for a deep-sea mining lease sale near American Samoa. Other news outlets report that if the lease sale moves forward, companies will be able to secure 20-year leases across 49,000 square miles of seabed in the ocean surrounding American Samoa.  

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