Celebration season is clearly upon us! Both Norway and the Cook Islands have announced a pause to their deep sea mining plans, showing evidence of the growing opposition around the world to this disastrous industry.
Norway and the Cook Islands are sending a strong signal
The newly elected Norwegian government ruled out deep sea mining licenses in Arctic waters until at least the end of 2029. The agreement to stop all exploration and exploitation of deep sea minerals came after consistent pressure from the environmental movement and hard negotiations from the green opposition parties in Norway.
On the other side of the world, the Cook Islands authorities announced that deep sea mining applications in the Pacific nation’s waters would be subject to five year extensions. That means no company can start mining until at least 2032 – and hopefully never ever after.
For years, civil society groups in the Cook Islands have been raising the alarm about rushing into seabed mining. Last month Cook Island activists confronted the Nautilus, a U.S funded deep sea mining exploration ship, as it returned to port in Rarotonga. Four protesters in kayaks met the ship, holding banners that read: “Don’t mine the moana.”
People power has brought us here
Scientists, civil society and frontline communities are loud and clear: the industry of deep sea mining should never see the light of day. The deep sea, which makes up 90 per cent of the ocean, is essential to life below and above water.
We are still discovering so much about the deep sea, but we already know that deep sea mining would cause irreversible damage to the expansive ocean ecosystem and the brunt would be borne by the people whose livelihoods and cultures depend on a healthy ocean.
Luckily, governments around the world seem to be hearing our call. With Norway and the Cooks Islands taking concrete action to pause deep sea mining plans, companies betting on this reckless industry should also take note.
The ocean is not for sale
The Metals Company (TMC), headquartered in Vancouver, has been greedily eyeing the Pacific ocean floor in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone and has even teamed up with Trump to try and fast-track deep sea mining. For now, this has only led to more resistance and an official investigation by the International Seabed Authority (ISA), where they risk to lose their exploration licence.
So, to TMC and other companies wanting to extract the seabed for the sake of profit, let’s repeat it loud and clear: The ocean is not for sale. It is humanity’s shared heritage and a sacred space that needs to be preserved.
Canada must follow suit
Canada must now ratify the Global Ocean Treaty, reaffirm its support for a global moratorium and hold The Metals Company accountable for bypassing international laws. From the land to the deep parts of the sea, protecting biodiversity, tackling climate change and upholding Indigenous rights are essential for a sustainable future for all.
We need Canada to stop deep sea mining before it starts. Join the campaign now.
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