ST. PETE’S BEACH, FLORIDA (November 13, 2025)—Greenpeace USA led peaceful interventions at the Underwater Minerals Conference, a gathering of deep sea mining (DSM) companies, government representatives, scientists, and others with ties to the industry. Activists distributed an informational flyer on the financial, environmental, and governance risks of deep sea mining, and an industry cocktail event featured Greenpeace USA’s customized “Don’t Mine the Deep” cocktail napkins designed to mimic the conference branding.
Throughout the conference, Greenpeace USA repeatedly highlighted the industry’s potential noise pollution, which could harm whales and other marine life, by playing a series of sound interventions. The message culminated in a chorus of international voices — representing the 40 countries now calling for a moratorium on DSM — repeating the refrain: “Having trouble hearing? Whales will too,” and ending with the unified call: “Don’t Mine the Deep.”
Jackie Dragon, Greenpeace USA senior oceans campaigner, said: “Deep sea mining is a leaky ship taking on water — an infeasible industry built on hype, not science. It’s risky, unnecessary, and completely out of step with a sustainable future. After its ‘green transition’ claims collapsed, it’s now exploiting geopolitical fears to stay afloat. Instead of pouring capital into another extractive venture that pushes the limits of already stressed ecosystems, we should invest in proven, science-based solutions that protect the oceans and the communities that depend on them.”
A recent Greenpeace USA report found that the deep sea mining industry is exploiting geopolitical tensions to fast-track large-scale mineral extraction in one of the world’s most crucial and pristine frontiers. The Trump Administration, echoing the narrative of The Metals Company (TMC) — the industry’s most aggressive proponent — signed an executive order aimed at accelerating the launch of deep sea mining in both U.S. and international waters. TMC subsequently sought to capitalize on this development by applying for a commercial license under the 1980 U.S. Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act (DSHMRA) to commence mining in international waters.
Both the executive order and application drew swift global backlash, including from France and China. Delegates at the ISA and the Secretary-General, Leticia Carvalho say that any unilateral action would “violate international law.”
In addition to the 40 governments, civil society groups, and Pacific Indigenous communities that have called for a moratorium, ban, or pause on the industry, major global companies like Google and Apple have also pledged not to source or underwrite deep sea minerals, citing unacceptable environmental and financial risks.
Dragon continued: “No serious investor can ignore the growing public and private sector opposition to deep sea mining. It’s financially volatile, legally uncertain, and fundamentally incompatible with credible environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles. Ocean protection isn’t a ‘nice to have’ — it’s essential to sound risk management and the preservation of life on Earth. That reality, not short-sighted profit motives, should anchor every industry discussion about the future of the oceans.”
Scientists warn that deep sea mining could devastate biodiversity, destroy habitats, and disrupt carbon cycles vital to planetary health. A recent study by the University of Hawaii found that mining waste in the Pacific’s Clarion-Clipperton Zone could disrupt up to 60% of midwater marine life, threatening the food web and tuna fisheries that sustain many coastal communities throughout the Pacific and beyond.
Economic analyses reinforce these warnings. Planet Tracker estimates that DSM could result in over $500 billion in value destruction, including at least $465 billion in lost natural capital. The Ocean Foundation has also questioned the industry’s financial viability, noting that next-generation battery technology is rapidly reducing any potential demand for deep-sea metals.
For more information, read Greenpeace USA’s recent report, Deep Deception.
Greenpeace USA is a trade name of Greenpeace, Inc.
Contact: Tanya Brooks, Senior Communications Specialist at Greenpeace USA, [email protected]
Greenpeace USA Press Desk: [email protected]
Greenpeace USA is part of a global network of independent campaigning organizations that use peaceful protest and creative communication to expose global environmental problems and promote solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future. Greenpeace USA is committed to transforming the country’s unjust social, environmental, and economic systems from the ground up to address the climate crisis, advance racial justice, and build an economy that puts people first. Learn more at www.greenpeace.org/usa.
