Norway has taken a step closer to becoming the first country in the world to open up its seabed for commercial deep-sea mining after giving it the go-ahead in a highly contentious parliamentary vote on Tuesday.
The decision comes despite warnings from scientists that it could have a devastating impact on marine life, and opposition from the EU and the UK, which have called for a temporary ban on deep-sea mining because of environmental concerns.
The proposal, voted in by 80-20 by Norway’s parliament after attracting cross-party support, is expected to speed up exploration of minerals – including precious metals – that are in high demand for green technologies.
While the decision will initially apply to Norwegian waters, it will expose an area larger than Britain – 280,000 sq km (108,000 sq miles) – to potential mining by companies, which will be able to apply for licences to mine minerals including lithium, scandium and cobalt. It is anticipated that an agreement on deep-sea mining in international waters could follow later in the year.
After the vote, the Norwegian government was immediately criticised for going against environmental scientists and the advice of its own experts.
Greenpeace called it was “a shameful day” for Norway. “It is embarrassing to watch Norway positioning itself as an ocean leader while giving the green light to ocean destruction in Arctic waters,” said Frode Pleym, head of Greenpeace Norway. “But this doesn’t end here. The wave of protests against deep sea mining has only begun.”
Kaja Lønne Fjærtoft, global policy lead for WWF’s No Deep Seabed Mining Initiative, said the organisation was drawing a “small glimmer of hope” from the fact that extraction licences would still need parliamentary approval, an amendment added after strong international pushback.
An energy department source told the Guardian that deep-sea mining had in essence been approved, but it was yet to approve any companies to do so. Deep-sea mining applications will have to be evaluated by the energy department and go back to parliament.
The Norwegian government confirmed parliament had voted in favour of opening up for exploration, but declined to comment further. It previously said it would be careful and issue licences only after more environmental research had been done.
The Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) said the decision, would act as “an irrevocable black mark on Norway’s reputation as a responsible ocean state”.
Steve Trent, the foundation’s chief executive and founder, said: “Deep-sea mining is a pursuit of minerals we don’t need, with environmental damage that we can’t afford. We know so little about the deep ocean, but we know enough to be sure that mining it will wipe out unique wildlife, disturb the world’s largest carbon store, and do nothing to speed the transition to clean economies.”
He added: “Recent scientific studies in Norwegian waters demonstrate that there will be severe impacts on ocean wildlife if this mining goes ahead.”
A report from the EJF, published on Tuesday, said deep-sea mining was not needed for clean energy transition. It predicted that a combination of a circular economy, new technology and recycling could cut cumulative mineral demand by 58% between 2022 and 2050. Trent said: “We can upgrade our economies and get to zero carbon without wrecking the deep ocean in the process.” He cited new battery technologies and the potential for existing mineral supplies to be sufficient if recycling rates improved.
“The argument for destroying the deep sea for cobalt and nickel does not withstand scrutiny and Norwegian lawmakers must recognise this,” he added.
The International Seabed Authority is due to meet later this year to finalise rules on deep-sea mining, with a vote expected next year.
