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 advocacy04:26 – Encountering Solwara 1: the PNG connection07:25 – Founding the Deep Sea Mining Campaign08:19 – Strategy pillars: science, solidarity, finance11:12 – Why advocacy matters: beyond research papers13:58 – Truth, power, and narrative framing15:30 – Strategic research and filling gaps16:59 – The evolution of the deep sea mining conversation20:14 – What happened to the Solwara 1 project?25:09 – Geopolitics and the land grab in the CCZ32:17 – What is the right amount of deep sea mining?34:44 – Scientific review commissioned by the campaign38:18 – Ban vs moratorium: rationale and position44:53 – Corporate pressure on global governance45:34 – The U.S. position and ISA alternatives

🎵 Theme music Tamarack by Jesse Matas

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