The Norwegian parliament approved the controversial practice of deep-sea mining by opening its waters for exploration, sparking outcry from various environmental groups.
The development marks a significant step towards commercial deep-sea mining and comes after the nation's parliament formally agreed to allow the exploration of roughly 108,000 square miles of Arctic seabed. This area is larger than the United Kingdom and between Norway and Greenland.
Norwegian Parliament Approves Deep-Sea Mining
Despite mounting concern from scientists, politicians, and environmental groups, officials decided about the potential damage that deep-sea mining could have on marine life. In a statement, the head of Greenpeace Norway, Frode Pleym, said the agreement is a "huge step in the wrong direction."
For quite some time, the deep ocean, one of the world's last untouched habitats, has been eyed for its vast trove of resources. These include copper, cobalt, zinc, and gold, which are in high demand for the green economy. They are used in everything from wind turbines to electric vehicle batteries, as per CNN.
Last year, a Norwegian study discovered a "substantial" amount of metals and minerals on the seabed of the country's extended continental shelf. Proponents of deep-sea mining argued that extracting these resources will allow a faster transition to a low-carbon economy and could come at a lower environmental cost than terrestrial mining.
However, scientists warn that very little is known about the depths of the world's oceans and that only a small fraction of them have been explored by humans. Many of these experts are concerned about the impacts on these ecosystems as they are already affected by pollution, trawling, and the climate crisis.
The deep ocean in Norway is home to many marine species, from krill to whales, as well as other types of deep-sea animals. There are many of these that humans have not yet discovered. Pleym warned, "We do not know what we risk losing for the exact reason that we do not know what the deep sea holds."
Potential Risks to Marine Life
The new bill passed on Tuesday will accelerate the hunt for precious metals in the deep ocean. While the plan initially concerns Norwegian waters, the agreement on mining in international waters could also be reached within this year, according to BBC.
The country's government said it was cautious with the new agreement and would only start issuing licenses once further environmental studies have been conducted. The proposal would allow other countries to apply to mine various resources in Norwegian waters.
The development could make Norway the first country in history to approve the controversial practice of deep-sea mining. The latest plan is also expected to pass smoothly after the government's plans received cross-party support last year.
An international NGO, the Environmental Justice Foundation, said the bottom line is that any possible benefits from deep-sea mining "do not outweigh the environmental and economic risks." CNBC noted that the decision could put Norway at odds with the United Kingdom and the European Commission.
