By Sylvia Earle, National Geographic 

Thousands of meters beneath the azure ocean waters in places like the South Pacific, down through a water column saturated with life and to the ocean floor carpeted in undiscovered ecosystems, machines the size of small buildings are poised to begin a campaign of wholesale destruction. I wish this assessment was hyperbole, but it is the reality we find ourselves in today.

Around 70 community leaders are meeting in Madang this week to discuss the lack of development taking place in the Provinces and to begin organising ahead of the 2017 National Election.

The meeting has been arranged by ACT NOW! and is being hosted by the Tropical Gem community network. The theme for the meeting is "Rise Up! Return to Your Roots".

The National Strategy for Responsible Sustainable Development for Papua New Guinea (StaRS) offers a real opportunity for us to build a smart, wise, fair and happy society that can lead the world.

The PM and his Ministers love to trumpet Vision 2050 and how clever we are to have a long-term development plan but have they actually read and understood what it says?

Source: Papua New Guinea Mine Watch

Canadian mining company Nautilus Minerals is facing a severe financial crisis that threatens not just its plans for experimental seabed mining in Papua New Guinea, but the future of the whole company.

Community advocates pose outside the door to the PNG Parliament Chamber

Four young community advocates from Vanuatu have been shocked by the conditions they have seen in Port Moresby and have vowed not to allow their own country to suffer a similar fate.

For three years Prime Minister Peter O’Neill has failed to cancel unlawful SABL leases affecting over 5 million hectares of land and has failed to deliver on his promises to return the land to its customary owners.

Today, June 24, is the three-year anniversary of the Commission of Inquiry reports that exposed the whole scam and confirmed the leases are unlawful.

Four young community advocates from Vanuatu have arrived in Papua New Guinea to learn more about the development issues facing the country and how they are being tackled.

They are being hosted by ACT NOW! who says the visit is aimed at raising regional awareness and building solidarity with other Melanesian countries. 

Next week is the third anniversary of the Commission of Inquiry reports that exposed the mismanagement, negligence and corruption behind the huge SABL land grab.