Deep-sea mining & sovereignty debate: Solomon Islands’ signing of a Shiprider Agreement with the United States has sparked fresh pushback, with critics accusing the deal of “selling sovereignty” and calling for parliamentary scrutiny; academics argue the legal case is being mixed up with politics, pointing to regional ocean governance frameworks like the Niue Treaty for fisheries surveillance and law enforcement. Climate readiness funding: The Global Environment Facility has approved NZ$24.2 million for Fiji, FSM, Tuvalu and Vanuatu to strengthen early warning systems and climate-resilient infrastructure, with more co-financing expected; Niue Meteorological Services Director Rossy Mitiepo says even small weather services are carrying growing responsibility as floods, sea-level rise, cyclones and coastal erosion intensify. Heat-proofing homes: Researchers are testing a simple white, solar-reflective roof paint to cut heat absorption in extreme 45°C conditions, with trials that include Niue and Fiji as part of the REFLECT project. Seabed mining diplomacy: A U.S. ambassador to Samoa says the U.S. won’t impose policy on seabed mining in Samoa’s EEZ, framing it as a conversation and pointing to information-sharing on environmental issues and “seabed harvesting.” Local climate knowledge: In Fiji, farmers use traditional ecological signs—like wild yam vines and bees—to anticipate cyclone season timing, showing how community knowledge still guides planting and risk planning.