The Trump administration has, whether intentionally or not, ignited a fierce debate. Unfortunately, its recent executive order is enabling deep sea mining in U.S. and international waters. A Canadian mining company has applied for the first permit to begin commercial operations in the Clarion-Clipperton zone. This region is one of the richest deposits of extraction the world has, filled with all-important minerals such as cobalt, nickel, and copper. Critics argue that the order circumvents existing global treaties, which could cause irreversible harm to our environment.
Deep sea mining is a practice that includes removing minerals from the ocean floor at depths of approximately 4,000 meters. The Clarion-Clipperton zone lies within the Pacific Ocean basin between North America and Hawaii. It covers almost 80% of the land surface in Australia and is rich in valuable polymetallic nodules. These nodules contain key minerals that are critically needed today for use in high technology applications. That includes materials for electric vehicle batteries and renewable energy technologies.
.jpg){kind=link}
Environmental advocates and scientists have recently sounded the alarm about the potential ecological effects of deep sea mining. They emphasize that the deep sea is one of the least explored ecosystems on Earth. This ignorance complicates efforts to predict the consequences of interrupting these habitats.
The Environmental Concerns
Environmental activist Louisa Castledine outlined her concerns about the impacts of deep sea mining. She stated, “What we see here is a shift from protecting our environment that has long sustained us as a people to exploiting it in a way that is irreversible.”
Climate advocates and law of the sea experts argue that the deep sea and its resources are the common heritage of humankind. Duncan Currie expressed this sentiment succinctly, saying, “The deep sea and the minerals belong to everyone … and so one country cannot go there and expropriate the minerals and keep them for themselves.”
Dr. Patricia Esquete, a deep-sea ecologist and a co-author on the study, brought attention to the need for understanding these ecosystems. “We’re doing it little by little … we cannot pretend to understand an ecosystem that we haven’t been studying for a long time,” she remarked. This demonstrates that there is an urgent need for further study well in advance of any commercial venture.
The International Seabed Authority (ISA) is tasked with developing regulations for deep sea mining. Critics counter that jumping straight into new mining operations without these regulations in place may risk disastrous results.
The Economic Implications
Supporters of deep sea mining maintain that it would mitigate the environmental impacts by providing greater economic returns. Gerard Barron, a proponent of seabed mining experiments, stressed the importance of impact comparison. According to him, the impacts of mining number to a small percentage of those created by land-based options.
Opponents warn against putting economic interest ahead of environmental protection. Phil McCabe, a key figure in advocating for a moratorium on deep sea mining, warned, “Anything that puts peace and security at risk just needs to be looked at really carefully.”
Save the Children’s Samantha Climie calls on Australia to take a stronger stance. She speaks with authority about the need to help Pacific Island nations protect and leverage their ocean resources. She thinks Australia should publicly support a deep-sea mining moratorium. This Unified Call for PaRTE comes right before the ISA’s next scheduled meeting.
The Cultural Impact
The dangers of deep sea mining are not only ecological but cultural, as identity deeply rooted within marine life is at stake. Jonathan Mesulam articulated this perspective, stating, “Some of the people are totally connected to the ocean where we have our culture.” He went on to emphasize that the destruction of cultural ties could lead to the loss of identity: “If we destroy our culture, then we will destroy our identity.”
Debates over the extraction of our natural resources have reached a boiling point. Now presented as an economic solution, deep sea mining is one of the greatest threats to cultural heritage and environmental integrity.
Leave a Reply