Over 15 years of ocean science and conservation online
The 2026 budget proposal from the Trump administration just dropped, and if you’re a fan of having a functional ocean, breathable air … or whales, you might want to sit down. We’ve seen “lean” budgets before, but this isn’t a haircut; it’s a lobotomy of U.S. marine science that shifts our entire blue backyard from … Read More “Loot, pillage and ransack the oceans: unpacking the 2026 Trump Administration ocean science budget” »
In a previous post an uncomfortable reality was highlighted: that the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021–2030) has, so far, delivered more branding than transformation. Despite much initial hyping, it has really failed to deliver on its promises so far. That may sound harsh. But halfway through the decade, its biggest outputs … Read More “How to fix the UN Decade of Ocean Science” »
There’s a new specter haunting environmental governance, and it doesn’t rattle ghostly chains, it’s its generating phantom science. Recently, I was reading a government report trying to find scientific justifications for environmental actions when I ran into some citations that looked interesting. So, I tried to look them up. Despite a full, official looking citation … Read More “Phantom science – how “AI slop” is making environmental policy” »
Last week, I joined Andrew Lewin on How to Protect the Ocean to talk about my recent congressional briefing, the experience of testifying in front of congress, and the potential consequences of deep-sea mining. A few key points of my testimony, and my response to Congresswoman Dexter, were clipped by Forbes. I think they’re worth … Read More “Talking about deep-sea mining, permitting, and my recent congressional briefing on How to Protect the Ocean.” »
The Trump administration argues that opening America’s seafloor to deep sea mining is essential for strengthening our economy and securing our energy future. But from a Pacific Islander perspective, this rush to extract metals from the ocean – especially near the Mariana Trench and American Samoa – ignores hard-earned lessons and risks repeating past mistakes. … Read More “Walking Backwards Into the Future: Applying Indigenous Knowledge to Deep Sea Mining” »
This week, I was invited to testify in front of Congress on the environmental and social impacts of deep-sea mining for the House Natural Resources Committee hearing Deep Dive: Examining the Regulatory and Statutory Barriers to Deep Sea Mining. In my opening statement, I touched on three critical points: the lack of urgency to access … Read More “The Urgency Does Not Exist: My statement on Deep-sea Mining to the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources” »
On January 22, 2026 the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources held an oversight hearing titled “Deep Dive: Examining the Regulatory and Statutory Barriers to Deep Sea Mining.” The hearing revealed significant bipartisan resistance to deep-sea mining in the US Pacific territories, including a unified position from Republican members Radewagen of American … Read More “Bipartisan Concern Expressed Over Deep Sea Mining at Congressional Hearing” »
In the last month, two major players in the development of the deep-sea mining industry have put their plans on pause, calling for more research and less urgency in the race to the bottom. In November, the Cook Islands opted to extend their current exploration programs for an another five years, giving contractors and scientists … Read More “Norway and Cook Islands put their deep-sea mining plans on pause.” »
“My family lived and died in America, hmGood ol’ USA (good ol’ USA), shitWhole lotta red in that white and blue, huhHistory can’t be erased, ooh-ohAre you lookin’ for a new America? (America)Are you tired, working time and a half for half the pay?” – Ya Ya lyrics, Beyonce The Trump administration is attempting to … Read More “Beyoncé is Right: History Can’t Be Erased” »
“The health of the ocean is not beholden to the burn rate of private companies.” In May, right after the congressional hearing, I recorded an episode of the Marine Conservation Happy Hour talking about deep-sea mining, the current push from within the United States, and what that might mean for the International Seabed Authority. Earlier … Read More “Chatting about deep-sea mining with the Marine Conservation Happy Hour and Outside/In” »
