Moratorium on deep-sea mining

AI summary

Oceans North, MiningWatch Canada and Greenpeace Canada say deep seabeds are crucial to marine ecosystems and that the International Seabed Authority (ISA) is considering regulations they deem inadequate. They state that The Metals Company, a Canadian firm, holds ISA exploration contracts and has sought to mine under the U.S. DSHMRA, note that Canada announced support for a moratorium in 2023, and assert mining under DSHMRA would violate UNCLOS. The petition asks the Government of Canada to bar Canadian persons or companies from undertaking unilateral mining or claiming minerals in the Area and to urge ISA to adopt a legally binding moratorium on deep-sea mining.

AI summaries describe petitioners’ requests and claims. Consult the official record for the full text.

Official petition

Petition to the Government of Canada The deep seabeds play an essential role in the health of marine species and ecosystems; The International Seabed Authority (ISA) is responsible for protecting international seabeds (the Area); ISA is discussing adopting rushed and inadequate regulations on mining of the deep seabed in the Area; The Metals Company, a Canadian corporation, holds exploration contracts with ISA for the Clarion-Clipperton Zone in the Pacific Ocean; The Metals Company bypassed ISA by filing an application to mine these deep seabeds under American jurisdiction pursuant to the DSHMRA; If mining were to begin in the Area under the DSHMRA, it would amount to a violation of international law under UNCLOS; In 2023, Canada announced its support for a moratorium on deep sea mining in international waters; Consistent with its international commitments, Canada has a duty to protect the Area; and Deep sea mining is considered an unwise and uneconomic activity that is incompatible with a sustainable future. We, the undersigned, Oceans North, MiningWatch Canada and Greenpeace Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to: 1. Ensure that no Canadian person or corporation undertakes unilateral mining operations in the Area or claims, acquires or exercises rights to the minerals that would be recovered there, pursuant to articles 137 to 139 of UNCLOS; and 2. Have ISA pass a moratorium on deep sea mining as a legally binding measure prohibiting all mining in the Area, pursuant to article 145 of UNCLOS.

Government response

No government response is available yet.