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The deep sea is a place of mystery and wonder. People know very little about what is actually down in the very depths of the ocean. But most people will agree that the seas should be kept pristine.
Now, Euro News that Norway’s government has decided to pause licenses for deep-sea mining for the current legislative term — that is to say, until 2029. This is a victory for sea lovers and environmentalists everywhere,
Irreversible Damage
Deep-sea mining is the process of extracting rocks and materials from the depths of the ocean for minerals such as cobalt and zinc. These minerals are important for building the batteries that help power green technology such as electric vehicles.
The original plan was for the government to start issuing deep-sea mining licenses in 2025. This was part of a pivot towards green energy, which utilizes the minerals found under the sea in clean batteries.
However, environmental experts claimed that the process of mining could cause irreversible damage to ecosystems and diversity, and could also impact carbon which is stored in the ocean — something nobody wants.
In addition, a 2024 report by the Environmental Justice Foundation showed that using a combination of new technology, recycling, and a circular economy could cut the need for deep-sea minerals by 58 percent between 2022 and 2050. This alleviating the need to mine the oceans for them.
As, the CEO of the Environmental Justice Foundation, Steve Trent, told Euro News, there is no reason to disturb the seas for something that is not needed: “We know so little about the deep ocean, but we know enough to be sure that mining it will wipe out unique wildlife, disturb the world’s largest carbon store, and do nothing to speed the transition to clean economies.”
A Permanent Pause?
Though the pause in deep-sea mining is officially only until 2029, according to Mongabay, the hope is that this is the “nail in the coffin” for the deep sea mining industry in Norway.
“Deep-sea mining is not a winning issue in Norwegian politics,” Haldis Tjeldflaat Helle, a campaigner with Greenpeace Norway, told Mongabay “and I cannot imagine any political party coming back in 2029 eager to spend political capital on pushing forward this industry.”
A win for the deep sea is a win for the world. Yes, other countries such as the USA and Japan are moving forward with plans for deep-sea mining, but in the struggle to protect natural resources, every win, even if it is just one small victory, is an important win.
While green energy is important for the future of the planet,there are also additional potential solutions, such as circular economies, which have yet to be implemented to their fullest. The conversion to green energy doesn’t have to be at the expense of the seas.
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