In the next few days, crucial decisions will be taken at the ISA General Assembly on deep-sea mining.
It has been repeatedly demonstrated that deep-sea mining will cause significant and irreversible damage to the rich and unique ecosystems of the seabed. The damage will also extend to tuna fishing resources and coastal fishing areas, which will be affected by the pollution generated by this activity.
CAOPA calls on all ISA member and observer states, particularly African states, to speak out against this race to mine.
It’s important that governments act, because even if the ISA doesn’t agree on a mining code this summer, a mining contract could still be awarded and deep-sea mining could go ahead without regulation.
CAOPA urges governments, in particular African countries, to publicly express their support for a moratorium or precautionary pause on deep sea mining, as long as:
- there will not be a complete scientific understanding of seabed ecosystems and the impact of mining on marine, offshore and coastal ecosystems,
- it is not clearly demonstrated scientifically that deep sea mining will not cause damage to the marine environment, and will not jeopardise the future of the communities that depend on that environment.
14 Member States have already come out in favour of a precautionary pause, a moratorium or a ban on deep-sea mining: Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, France, Germany, New Zealand, Palau, Panama, Samoa, Sweden, Spain and Ireland.