Nations opposed to deep sea mineral mining and those in favour of exploiting the oceans' depths butted heads in Jamaica on Wednesday, with both sides arguing their position would help protect the planet.
Members of the International Seabed Authority (ISA), a little-known global body tasked with regulating the vast ocean floor, are locked in a heated debate over the future of deep sea mining at their annual meeting in Kingston.
"We cannot and must not embark on a new industrial activity when we are not yet able to fully measure its consequences, and therefore risk irreversible damage to our marine ecosystems," said Herve Berville, French secretary of state for seas.
