While governments failed to set a clear direction on unlawful deep sea mining at the ISA in July, our hive in Toronto was buzzing with folks finding ways to take meaningful action against this new extractive frontier. Let\u2019s dive into what the 31st session of the International Seabed Authority brought us, and what\u2019s next.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n
Even before the 31st session of the international deep sea mining negotiations started, the debate was heated. Two subsidiaries of The Metals Company (TMC), NORI and TOML, launched legal proceedings against the ISA to try and block its investigation into their potential non-compliance. Luckily, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea finally ruled that the inquiry can continue.<\/p>\n\n
However, the Council also decided to extend NORI\u2019s exploration contract despite the company\u2019s ties to unlawful US mining plans<\/a>. Although the Council argued that this extension is separate from the ongoing investigation, the decision ultimately failed to set a clear precedent that unilateral unlawful deep sea mining will face repercussions.<\/p>\n\n The other biggest item on the agenda was the Mining Code \u2014 a set of rules and regulations that could greenlight the deep sea mining industry. Over the past decade, governments at the ISA have been negotiating if and how companies and countries could move from just exploring the global ocean floor to commercially mining it. With too many key issues remaining unresolved, not a lot of progress has been made there.<\/p>\n\n Instead, we saw countries increasingly recognizing the risks related to mining this undiscovered, fragile underwater world. In an impressive milestone, Mozambique, Mauritius and the Republic of the Congo<\/a> announced their support for a moratorium on deep sea mining at the ISA meeting. This brings the total number of moratorium countries to 46, or more than a quarter of all the countries represented at the ISA. Talking about a strong sign!<\/p>\n\n While these high-level negotiations were ongoing, Greenpeace Canada and allies co-hosted an evening workshop in Toronto with the Beehive Collective. Using their intricate mural “The Cost of Coal”, the collective facilitated critical dialogue, helping participants draw parallels between deep-sea extraction and other forms of mining. The creative, inspiring and open space allowed attendees to identify exactly what is at risk and learn more on how to take meaningful action.<\/p>\n Now that the ISA has concluded without a strong warning against unlawful deep sea mining, it is time to continue the work at home. Even outside of the ISA framework, Canada has a legal obligation under UNCLOS to ensure no Canadian corporation engages in unilateral deep sea mining.\u00a0<\/p>\n\nNo mining code adopted<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n
Our beehive was buzzing<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n
So what\u2019s next?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n