French Polynesia: Deep-Sea Mining and Sustainable Economic Alternatives

French Polynesia faces an urgent crossroads as global interest in deep-sea mining intensifies. Holding the world’s second-largest exclusive economic zone, nearly five million square kilometers, the territory is rich in seabed minerals such as cobalt, nickel, and copper. Yet, exploiting these resources poses immense ecological, technological, and geopolitical risks. The Government of French Polynesia has tasked this Capstone team with advancing two interconnected goals: (1) to assess and communicate the risks of deep-sea mining and (2) to identify sustainable economic alternatives, particularly through digital development and blue economy innovation. Deliverables will include a stakeholder platform mapping research institutions and policy actors, a strategic policy timetable, position papers for international forums, and an actionable economic plan highlighting digital and environmental opportunities. This work will help French Polynesia safeguard its ocean heritage while charting a sustainable, future-oriented path toward resilience and self-reliance.