A coalition of Indigenous nations in the Pacific also came forward to formally oppose deep sea mining and over a dozen countries have called to pause or completely halt mining operations until more data is available. Takuyo-Daigo Seamount deep-sea mining machinery (Photo by Travis Washburn)In 2021, more than 700 scientists and policy experts signed an open letter asking for a moratorium on the extraction of materials from the seafloor. an ultimatum two years ago to finalize regulations.Īs reported by The Guardian, Nauru's president, Russ Kun, told delegates, "We have a window of opportunity to support the development of a sector that Nauru considers has the potential to help accelerate our energy transition to combat climate change." Nauru, an island nation in the Pacific Ocean, gave the U.N. Currently, nearly 70 percent of the world's supply of cobalt is sourced from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), but operations there have come under scrutiny for enacting child labor and inhumane working conditions. Those who support deep sea mining argue the practice is a means to shift toward renewable energy, as much of the cobalt and nickel recovered in these operations could be used for battery production in electric car manufacturing. Little is known about the deep sea floor, and what evidence does exist suggests excavating it could damage sensitive marine life. Many are concerned this will open up the possibility that mining for materials on the ocean floor will begin without regulations in place, threatening the creatures that live there. Although officials did not approve mining operations, they also didn't agree on what process they'd follow should any requests to mine be filed in the meantime. Ultimately, the ISA kicked the can down the road, agreeing to finalize rules for scraping the seafloor for valuable metals by 2025. After a "two-year rule" expired earlier in July, the meeting was held as part of negotiations on how nations should proceed with ocean floor mining ventures. The International Seabed Authority (ISA), a United Nations-affiliated group, faces pressure to establish rules that protect ecosystems on the ocean floor, many of which are still being investigated. Last week, officials met in Kingston, Jamaica to discuss international regulations for deep sea mining, operations many scientists and policymakers oppose due to the potential harm they can cause to the environment. Mining the bottom of the ocean for precious metals is a dangerous proposition, given the near-freezing temperatures and crushing pressures, but it's being increasingly optioned by nations and mining companies eager for raw materials like cobalt and nickel.
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