In this conversation, Dr. Helen Rosenbaum—Campaign Coordinator of the Deep Sea Mining Campaign—shares her perspective on why no amount of deep sea mining is acceptable. Drawing from over a decade of science-based advocacy and community development experience in the Pacific, she explains how the industry evolved, the story of the failed Solwara 1 project, and why advocacy must go beyond simply presenting scientific facts.
Helen discusses the environmental risks of deep sea mining, the gaps in regulation, and the pressure campaign her organization has run to push back against the commercial and geopolitical momentum behind seabed extraction.
🔗 Resources & Links:
Helen on LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/helen-rosenbaum-3b78a417/
Deep Sea Mining Campaign: https://www.dsm-campaign.org
Scientific Review Report: Predicting the Impacts of Mining Deep Sea Polymetallic Nodules in the Pacific Ocean
🎥 Short Film: Blue Peril – Documentary on seabed mining in the Pacific
⏱️ Timestamps
01:16 – Helen’s background and path to advocacy
04:26 – Encountering Solwara 1: the PNG connection
07:25 – Founding the Deep Sea Mining Campaign
08:19 – Strategy pillars: science, solidarity, finance
11:12 – Why advocacy matters: beyond research papers
13:58 – Truth, power, and narrative framing
15:30 – Strategic research and filling gaps
16:59 – The evolution of the deep sea mining conversation
20:14 – What happened to the Solwara 1 project?
25:09 – Geopolitics and the land grab in the CCZ
32:17 – What is the right amount of deep sea mining?
34:44 – Scientific review commissioned by the campaign
38:18 – Ban vs moratorium: rationale and position
44:53 – Corporate pressure on global governance
45:34 – The U.S. position and ISA alternatives
🎵 Theme music Tamarack by Jesse Matas
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