Pacific governments could face lawsuits costing millions of dollars, if they change course on deep-sea mining, a new report warns.
A report released on Tuesday, August 25, by a Pacific regional NGO, looks at how foreign mining companies could challenge government decisions if their investments have been affected.
The report identifies Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Nauru and the Cook Islands as countries facing different levels of exposure as interest in deep-sea mining grows.
Its author, Dr Jane Kelsey, said the concern was not only the possibility of governments being ordered to pay large amounts of money.
She said the threat of legal action could also discourage governments from strengthening environmental rules or changing their policies.
