WWF Calls for a Global Moratorium on Deep Seabed Mining
In light of the upcoming 30th session of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) March Council meeting, WWF is calling on governments to halt deep seabed mining, citing significant threats to marine ecosystems, climate regulation, and sustainable development for coastal communities and indigenous peoples.
The International Seabed Authority (ISA) was established under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 1994 Agreement relating to the Implementation of Part XI of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Through the ISA, States Parties to UNCLOS organise and manage all mineral-resources-related activities in the ‘Area’, for the benefit of humankind.
The ‘Area’ covers around 54% of the total area of the world’s oceans and is the ‘common heritage of mankind’, a global common with environmental limits on its economic exploitation. The ISA therefore has the mandate to ensure the effective protection of the marine ecosystem from harmful effects related to deep seabed-related activities.
The 30th Session of the International Seabed Authority starts today in Kingston, Jamaica, and is the first session under the new Secretary-General Leticia Carvalho. With a distinguished background leading the United Nations Environment Programme Marine and Freshwater Branch, as well as senior positions in the Ministry of Environment of Brazil, it is hoped that her appointment will refocus the ISA towards protecting the seabed for all. The ISA has previously come under fire for prioritising deep sea mining interests, as through its institutional structure and lobbying, it is highly intertwined with corporations.
This is being brought to the fore, as delegates at the 30th Session will be addressing the world’s first ever deep-sea mining application for the international seabed by The Metals Company. The ISA Council has until July 9th 2025 to finalise the set of regulations governing the economic exploitation of the seabed, under which the revenues and benefits are to be equitably shared among states. If the Council does not finalise regulations within this timeframe and an application for deep sea mining is submitted, it would still be required to review and grant provisional approval for the request.
A WWF report, Analysis of the Implications of Deep Seabed Mining for the Global Biodiversity Framework and the Sustainable Development Agenda, warns that deep seabed mining would have a “global impact on several aspects of society, economy and environment. All 4 GBF goals for 2050 and 18 out of the 23 GBF targets for 2030 would be threatened by DSM, as well as 16 out of the 17 SDGs”.
The report highlights five key findings of the impact of deep seabed mining on the GBF and SDGs:
- “Destroy deep-sea habitats and drive biodiversity loss (GBF Targets 1-4, 7, 9, 11; SDGs 14, 15).”
- “Disrupt fisheries, harming food security and coastal economies (GBF Targets 7, 9, 10; SDG 2).”
- “Undermine the ocean’s role as the largest carbon sink, worsening climate change (GBF Target 8; SDGs 7, 11, 13, 14).”
- “Exacerbate social and economic inequalities by benefiting corporations while leaving coastal communities at risk (GBF Targets 9, 14, 15, 20, 21; SDGs 1, 8, 10, 16).”
- “Threaten indigenous peoples’ rights and inclusive sustainable development (GBF Targets 1, 3, 4, 21, 22; SDG 16).”
WWF is therefore advocating for a ‘science-based moratorium’ on deep seabed mining at the ISA, urging governments to apply the precautionary principle to safeguard the deep sea from irreversible harm. With scientific understanding of deep sea ecosystems still relatively unknown and regulatory frameworks lacking transparency, the WWF note that moving forward with deep seabed mining poses dangerous risks.
Jessica Battle, WWF Lead, No Deep Seabed Mining Initiative, commented: “The deep sea is one of the last untouched ecosystems on Earth, playing a crucial role in regulating our climate and supporting marine life. We cannot afford to sacrifice it for short-term commercial interests.”
She requested that, “Deep seabed mining must not go ahead until the environmental, social and economic risks are understood, all alternatives to deep-sea minerals have been explored and it is proven that deep seabed mining can be managed in a way that protects the marine environment and prevents biodiversity loss and climate impacts, habitat degradation and species extinctions. Until then, a global moratorium on deep seabed mining is needed.”
Read the press release here
Read the full report here
