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Many Maps, One Seabed Floor: Conflict Mapping Seabed Mining near Nauru
In this episode of Decisions at the Fulcrum, I map out one of the more complex disputes in international resource policy: the seabed mining near Nauru. We'll look at the issue by going from the depth seabed floor to the brightly-lit world of international governance. I employ Paul Wehr's conflict mapping approach to comprehend how conflict arises when parties have disparate "maps" of the same terrain that have different interpretations of what constitutes proof, harm, benefit, urgency, and fairness. To start, we explore Nauru, a small Pacific country that has been influenced by the lengthy history of phosphate extraction. Thanks to the ISA's much-discussed "two-year" procedural trigger, Nauru is now a major driver in speeding up international discussion. The episode then maps the conflict background, including draft exploitation laws, the International Seabed Authority, UNCLOS, and institutional constraints that condense nuance into positions that must be met by a certain date. The stakeholders and their opposing legends are then highlighted: Nauru as a sponsoring state; contractors and supply-chain narratives; the ISA's legitimacy challenge; member states divided between caution and pace; scientists navigating uncertainty; NGOs promoting risk thresholds; and Pacific regional voices whose ocean relationships don't neatly fit into regulatory templates. By the conclusion, we go back to the ocean itself and pose the central question of the episode: Whose map becomes the guide when the world discusses the ocean floor, and what maps remain obscured? Note: For the show to keep going all the way through next year, please share the show with one person if this episode gave you a better understanding of the problem. The show can continue in its current form entirely through word-of-mouth, which is what makes lengthy, extensively researched episodes like this one possible. Happy New Year!
Music credit: "Lafa" David Charrier References: The New Yorker 2022; UNCLOS, 2025; World Bank, 2025; Reuters, 2023
Music & Audio Notice:
This project includes music licensed through Canva. All rights remain with the original creators. No copyright infringement is intended.
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By William Hoffman, Ph.D.In this episode of Decisions at the Fulcrum, I map out one of the more complex disputes in international resource policy: the seabed mining near Nauru. We'll look at the issue by going from the depth seabed floor to the brightly-lit world of international governance. I employ Paul Wehr's conflict mapping approach to comprehend how conflict arises when parties have disparate "maps" of the same terrain that have different interpretations of what constitutes proof, harm, benefit, urgency, and fairness. To start, we explore Nauru, a small Pacific country that has been influenced by the lengthy history of phosphate extraction. Thanks to the ISA's much-discussed "two-year" procedural trigger, Nauru is now a major driver in speeding up international discussion. The episode then maps the conflict background, including draft exploitation laws, the International Seabed Authority, UNCLOS, and institutional constraints that condense nuance into positions that must be met by a certain date. The stakeholders and their opposing legends are then highlighted: Nauru as a sponsoring state; contractors and supply-chain narratives; the ISA's legitimacy challenge; member states divided between caution and pace; scientists navigating uncertainty; NGOs promoting risk thresholds; and Pacific regional voices whose ocean relationships don't neatly fit into regulatory templates. By the conclusion, we go back to the ocean itself and pose the central question of the episode: Whose map becomes the guide when the world discusses the ocean floor, and what maps remain obscured? Note: For the show to keep going all the way through next year, please share the show with one person if this episode gave you a better understanding of the problem. The show can continue in its current form entirely through word-of-mouth, which is what makes lengthy, extensively researched episodes like this one possible. Happy New Year!
Music credit: "Lafa" David Charrier References: The New Yorker 2022; UNCLOS, 2025; World Bank, 2025; Reuters, 2023
Music & Audio Notice:
This project includes music licensed through Canva. All rights remain with the original creators. No copyright infringement is intended.