Deep sea mining: Nations negotiate rules to extract minerals from ocean floor
The United Nations' International Seabed Authority is set to convene in Kingston, Jamaica on Monday to discuss new regulations that would allow companies to extract minerals from the ocean floor. This meeting comes amid escalating concerns over the potential economic and environmental risks associated with deep sea mining. Proponents argue that deep sea mining could boost supplies of critical raw materials like cobalt and nickel, which are essential for the global energy transition. The growing controversy has led 27 countries to call for at least a temporary halt on deep sea mining activities. While some argue that deep sea mining is less damaging than terrestrial mining, critics like U.S. investor and deep sea explorer Victor Vescovo question the economic and technical feasibility of operating heavy industrial machinery in the ocean depths, especially as costs continue to rise.
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