Une frontière virtuelle : l’exploitation des ressources minérales profondes dans le Pacifique

The project to exploit deep mineral resources, which dates back to the 1960s, came back to the forefront in the 2000s, in a context of a race for raw materials and the rapid growth of emerging economies, particularly China. Deep-sea mining constitutes a new economic and technological frontier for mi...

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Main Authors: Pierre-Yves Le Meur, Valelia Muni Toke
Format: Article
Language:fra
Published: Éditions en environnement VertigO 2021-03-01
Series:VertigO
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.openedition.org/vertigo/29723
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author Pierre-Yves Le Meur
Valelia Muni Toke
author_facet Pierre-Yves Le Meur
Valelia Muni Toke
author_sort Pierre-Yves Le Meur
collection DOAJ
description The project to exploit deep mineral resources, which dates back to the 1960s, came back to the forefront in the 2000s, in a context of a race for raw materials and the rapid growth of emerging economies, particularly China. Deep-sea mining constitutes a new economic and technological frontier for mining firms and transnational capital, while Pacific Island Countries and Territories are striving to anticipate this encounter by strengthening their sovereign powers and regional cooperation. At stake for indigenous peoples and customary authorities is the cognitive and normative representation of oceanic spaces as an integral part of their universe and life world that feeds specific assertions of "non-Westphalian" sovereignty. However, the realization of the deep-sea mining potential remains slow to emerge. This article proposes to explore this still largely virtual mining frontier through the policies and mechanisms put in place in the French territories of the Pacific, with an emphasis on the case of Wallis and Futuna. It will examine and analyze the effects induced by the encounter between French policy, Oceanian responses and the virtuality of deep-sea mining, particularly from the point of view of the overseas territories' relations to the State and to information, between mistrust, rumor and controversies. The article will show the key role of uncertainty (moral, institutional and ontological) in how social actors understand and negotiate the issues raised by deep-sea mining prospects.
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spelling doaj.art-dc392c3855984624ae8d19e55bba64df2024-04-04T09:09:01ZfraÉditions en environnement VertigOVertigO1492-84422021-03-013310.4000/vertigo.29723Une frontière virtuelle : l’exploitation des ressources minérales profondes dans le PacifiquePierre-Yves Le MeurValelia Muni TokeThe project to exploit deep mineral resources, which dates back to the 1960s, came back to the forefront in the 2000s, in a context of a race for raw materials and the rapid growth of emerging economies, particularly China. Deep-sea mining constitutes a new economic and technological frontier for mining firms and transnational capital, while Pacific Island Countries and Territories are striving to anticipate this encounter by strengthening their sovereign powers and regional cooperation. At stake for indigenous peoples and customary authorities is the cognitive and normative representation of oceanic spaces as an integral part of their universe and life world that feeds specific assertions of "non-Westphalian" sovereignty. However, the realization of the deep-sea mining potential remains slow to emerge. This article proposes to explore this still largely virtual mining frontier through the policies and mechanisms put in place in the French territories of the Pacific, with an emphasis on the case of Wallis and Futuna. It will examine and analyze the effects induced by the encounter between French policy, Oceanian responses and the virtuality of deep-sea mining, particularly from the point of view of the overseas territories' relations to the State and to information, between mistrust, rumor and controversies. The article will show the key role of uncertainty (moral, institutional and ontological) in how social actors understand and negotiate the issues raised by deep-sea mining prospects.https://journals.openedition.org/vertigo/29723riskuncertaintysovereigntyfrench pacific territoriesmetropolis-overseas relationshipsvirtual frontier
spellingShingle Pierre-Yves Le Meur
Valelia Muni Toke
Une frontière virtuelle : l’exploitation des ressources minérales profondes dans le Pacifique
VertigO
risk
uncertainty
sovereignty
french pacific territories
metropolis-overseas relationships
virtual frontier
title Une frontière virtuelle : l’exploitation des ressources minérales profondes dans le Pacifique
title_full Une frontière virtuelle : l’exploitation des ressources minérales profondes dans le Pacifique
title_fullStr Une frontière virtuelle : l’exploitation des ressources minérales profondes dans le Pacifique
title_full_unstemmed Une frontière virtuelle : l’exploitation des ressources minérales profondes dans le Pacifique
title_short Une frontière virtuelle : l’exploitation des ressources minérales profondes dans le Pacifique
title_sort une frontiere virtuelle l exploitation des ressources minerales profondes dans le pacifique
topic risk
uncertainty
sovereignty
french pacific territories
metropolis-overseas relationships
virtual frontier
url https://journals.openedition.org/vertigo/29723
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AT valeliamunitoke unefrontierevirtuellelexploitationdesressourcesmineralesprofondesdanslepacifique