Source: Canada’s National Observer
Author: Natasha Bulowski
This is critical time for the protection of the deep, as the International Seabed Authority (ISA) considers the conditions for launching deep sea mining activities as soon as June of next year. With one of the longest coastlines in the world, Canada positions itself as a leader in marine protection, and yet so far, the country has been largely absent from these crucial discussions.
“Canada has no excuse for not making submissions to the ISA”, said Susanna Fuller, Oceans North vice-president and Treasurer of the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition. “Countries with far less bandwidth for submissions of this nature, like Bangladesh, made the effort to participate in creating the regulations. Meanwhile, Canada — with ample government staff and academics with expertise in environmental impact assessments and marine biodiversity — is nowhere to be found”.
“I just find it truly shocking and appalling … Canada hasn’t engaged on the governance of literally 50 per cent of the planet,” said Fuller.
As a key player on the international stage and ocean governance, if Canada were to support the call for a moratorium on deep sea mining, other countries would be likely to follow, thereby sheltering the planet’s largest carbon sink from harm at a time of climate emergency.
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