On January 9, Norway authorised Deep Sea Mining in the Artic. This practice consists in extracting minerals and metals from the seabed. It’s already in use in Papua New Guinea and Japan, but has never been used in the Artic. Scientists, fishermen and environmentalists have been trying to avoid it for years. They consider this practice to be highly harmful for marine ecosystems.
The Norwegian government wishes to practice Deep Sea Mining in an area almost as extended as Italy. Located in the Artic, it stretches between the Svalbards, Greenland, Iceland and Jan Mayen island. This is one of the last unspoiled ecosystems on Earth. The last safe refuge for Artic life, which is extremely vulnerable and all the more endangered by the climate crisis.
Norway’s decision could be a point of no return. Indeed, according to scientists, sea mining operations can cause irreversible damage to the oceans. And even interfere with natural processes of carbon capture and storage. Transferring carbon into the seabed, oceans are able to moderate pollution. These are some of the reasons that induced some States to sign in 2023 the United Nations Ocean Treaty. Norway was one of them, but now, after less than a year, is violating it. Indeed, the treaty’s goal is to create marine sanctuaries free from any kind of exploitation, including mining.
Despite the large group of protesters – many of whom were teens – gathered outside the parliament on January 9, Norway said yes. However, the verdict can be overturned. The first mining licenses have still to be approved by the Norwegian parliament. Thus, activists from Greenpeace, WWF and other environmentalist NGO invite people to express their dissent to try to save the last unspoiled corner on the planet.
