The deep sea has emerged as a new mining frontier in the global race towards energy security, with countries vying to explore and exploit its reserves of metals, such as nickel, copper, cobalt and manganese.

These minerals – critical to the energy transition – are held in the deep ocean’s nodules, hydrothermal vents and crusts, but the impacts of mining these deposits are still far from being fully understood.

In 2021, the Pacific island state of Nauru triggered a legal process for countries to agree rules around mining the seabed, or – in their absence – allow commercial mining of the deep sea to begin by 2025.

Since then, 31 countries have called for some form of a ban, moratorium or pause on deep sea mining in international waters until its impacts on the ocean, climate and biodiversity are properly investigated.

Companies, such as BMW, Volvo and Renault, have joined this groundswell and are increasingly distancing themselves from deep-sea mining, along with banks such as Credit Suisse, ABN Amro and the European Investment Bank.

At the same time, 20 countries already hold 30 exploration contracts in areas beyond national boundaries, while countries such as Norway have supported deep-sea mining in their domestic waters.
As the International Seabed Authority meets in Kingston, Jamaica for another round of critical talks on deep-sea mining, Carbon Brief unpacks what mining could mean for climate change and biodiversity.

The post Q&A: What does deep-sea mining mean for climate change and biodiversity loss? appeared first on Carbon Brief.

https://www.carbonbrief.org/qa-what-does-deep-sea-mining-mean-for-climate-change-and-biodiversity-loss/