Here are three myths about deep sea mining, and why they\u2019re not what they seem:<\/p>\n
Myth 1: It\u2019s a green solution<\/h2>\n
A handful of deep sea mining companies are promoting this risky business as a \u201cgreen\u201d solution. They claim that mining metals and minerals from the seabed is needed for clean energy solutions like renewables and electric car batteries. This includes the not-so-subtly named company DeepGreen, whose CEO told governments, \u201cPersonally, I get very uncomfortable when people describe us as deep sea miners.\u201d<\/p>\n
We should all get uncomfortable with this kind of greenwash.<\/strong> Deep sea mining is far from being a \u201cgreen\u201d solution and could even make climate change worse: The deep sea is one of our best defenses against climate change as sediment down there helps lock away carbon. Churning up the seabed could disrupt this natural ocean process, and lead to the release of this stored carbon into the ocean and atmosphere – leading to an increase in the earth’s temperature.<\/p>\n Hydrothermal vents at Dom Jo\u00e3o De Castro. They are unusually shallow and support unique communities of organisms, often with special properties which interest both scientists and industry. UAC is conducting research here. The area has been designated a Natura 2000 site. Greenpeace is in the Azores with a team of scientists to survey and document deep sea life.<\/p><\/div>\n What\u2019s more, renewable energy experts have found that a global energy revolution – which would see us use 100% renewables by 2050 – can take place without <\/i>deep sea mining<\/strong>. A study this year has shown that to keep the global average temperature rise to less than 1.5\u00b0C, we need to focus on more resource-efficient design and rapidly increase recycling of materials.<\/p>\n Secondly, deep sea miners are trying to tell us that mining the deep sea is the only solution to avoid the human rights abuses, like child labour, hazardous working conditions, environmental and health risks, from mining on land. Defending human rights and conserving the environment are part of the same fight \u2013 and mining industries worldwide have undermined both.<\/p>\n Although at first glance the link between deep sea mining and communities on land might not be obvious, given the fact that billions of people worldwide rely on healthy oceans for food security and climate protection, unnecessarily ripping up at the seabed would be a serious mistake.<\/p>\n There is also no evidence that deep sea mining would replace or put an end to mining on land<\/strong> \u2014 it would likely just open up another place to mine, thereby increasing the risks of yet more resource exploitation.<\/p>\n The reality is that getting the minerals and metals for our tech doesn\u2019t need to harm anyone \u2013 humans, animals or our environment. Which brings us onto the next myth…<\/p>\n The third claim the deep sea mining industry love to make, is that the minerals and metals they want to rip out of the seabed are essential <\/i>for keeping up with the world\u2019s demand for smartphones and laptops.<\/p>\n These claims however haven\u2019t been embraced or substantiated by the IT sector. Tech giants currently don\u2019t have any materials mined from the deep sea in their supply chains right now \u2014 and we want to keep it that way.<\/p>\n Given the stark warnings from scientists about the huge risks of opening up the ocean floor for industrial mining, instead of getting behind this dangerous new industry, electronics brands need to signal that it\u2019s time to move away from the endless exploitation of resources to a more \u2018circular\u2019 economy<\/strong>.<\/p>\n E-waste, a term to describe electronic products that have become unwanted, obsolete or no longer work, is now the fastest-growing type of waste. A \u2018circular\u2019 economy system would see us move from the \u201ctake, make, waste\u201d system we currently have for our electronics, that risks an ever-growing environmental impact, to one which minimises waste by recycling metals and minerals found in electronics and focuses on designing smarter gadgets that reduce the use of metals and minerals in the first place.<\/p>\n Old mobile phones used for the art installation. Greenpeace held an exhibition in a Beijing shopping centre to show the public the value of e-waste with information panels, and an art installation made of over 500 old mobile phones was also exhibited.<\/p><\/div>\n We need stronger leadership from tech giants.<\/strong> Tesla and Panasonic have committed to phasing out cobalt, one of the target metals for deep sea mining, over the coming decade. But with deep sea mining companies ramping up their political lobbying against a strong Global Ocean Treaty that can protect marine life from exploitation, we need a stronger signal that deep sea mining has no future.<\/p>\n![\"Hydrothermal](\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-canada-stateless\/2019\/07\/fef4222b-gp0hct.jpg\")
Myth 2: It helps avoid human rights abuses<\/h2>\n
Myth 3: It\u2019s essential for your next phone<\/h2>\n
![\"Old](\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-canada-stateless\/2019\/07\/aeec311e-gp0stt5hp.jpg\")