The ISA Assembly concluded Friday evening, marking the end of three weeks of intense deep-sea mining negotiations during which no mining code was agreed or adopted.
Over the past weeks, forward-thinking countries, such as Switzerland, Brazil, Costa Rica, Chile, Palau, Vanuatu, France, and Germany, have resisted efforts to green light commercial-scale deep-sea mining and (re)affirmed their commitments to defend the deep sea by supporting a precautionary pause, moratorium, or ban. Currently, 21 governments have taken positions against deep-sea mining in international waters.
The ISA Assembly is the supreme body of the International Seabed Authority, representing all 168 countries member to the organisation, and has the power to establish a general policy on DSM.
During the Assembly meeting over the past week, governments were set to discuss the protection of the marine environment, which included a formal discussion on a ‘pause’ or moratorium on deep-sea mining for the first time. However, the inclusion of the agenda item was obstructed by a handful of countries and therefore postponed. With the momentum against deep-sea mining ever-growing, it is crucial that this matter is addressed at the next ISA Assembly in 2024 under its own dedicated agenda item, giving all member States an official voice.
The protection of the marine environment must take centre stage.
©Deep Sea Conservation Coalition