Fiji, Aug. 26 -- Pacific governments could face costly investor claims if they change environmental or regulatory policies around deep-sea mining, according to a new report warning that existing investment agreements may limit countries' ability to change course.

The report, Undermining Sovereignty: De-risking the Pacific from Investor-State Disputes in Deep-Sea Mining, launched by the Pacific Network on Globalisation (PANG) Tuesday, examines how Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) mechanisms could be used by foreign investors to challenge government decisions affecting their investments.

The report identifies Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Nauru and the Cook Islands among Pacific countries facing different forms of exposure as interest ...