Source: Mongabay
Author: Elizabeth Claire Alberts
IUCN members have voted overwhelmingly in support of a moratorium on deep-sea mining at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Marseilles.
Eighty-one governments and government voted in favor of the moratorium, with 18 voting against and 28 abstaining from voting. Five hundred and seventy-seven NGOs and civil society organizations also voted in favor, while only 32 voted against and 35 abstained.
“We’re very happy to see … such overwhelming support for Motion 69. “It sends a clear and resounding message to the International Seabed Authority that there is no social license and no global appetite to mine the deep sea.”
Farah Obaidullah, DSCC
Matthew Gianni of the DSCC also said that if deep-sea mining is allowed to begin in two years, there could be a “gold rush” as other countries and companies seek to obtain licenses.
Read the full article here.