Source: ENDS
Author: Robert Hodgson
Seas At Risk Executive Director Monica Verbeek speaks about why the EU must boost its marine conservation commitments if it wants to make an impact in upcoming global negotiations.
Continue reading Seas at Risk director on a crucial few months for marine protection
The United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative published a new briefing paper addressing the potential devastating environmental impacts and significant risks of financing or supporting deep-sea mining activities. Designed for banks, insurers and investors, the paper highlights that the financing of deep-sea mining activities is not consistent with UNEP FI’s Sustainable Blue Economy Finance Principles and therefore strongly discourages financial institutions to support this nascent sector.
Indeed, the deep sea contains many of the most pristine ecosystems on our planet and plays a crucial role in regulating the climate and mitigating climate change. Plans to mine this unique and complex area of our planet would create irreversible ecosystem and habitat loss, as well as permanently destroy invaluable carbon storage.
This briefing paper is designed to help banks, insurers and investors stay away from unsustainable economic activities and consider their portfolios in light of the damaging nature of deep-sea mining activities. It is the last of a series of briefing papers on harmful marine extractives, following papers on dredging & marine aggregate extraction and offshore oil and gas.
UNEP FI convenes a global financial community focused on the ocean and sustainable use of marine resources. Discover its range of resources for financial institutions on shipping, seafood, ports, marine renewable energy, coastal tourism, ocean-linked waste management and coastal infrastructure.
Source: Apple podcasts
Adrian and Matthew Gianni, co-founder, political and policy advisor for the DSCC, discuss the ethical concerns and environmental risks of deep sea mining, from the perspective of an alliance over 100 environmental groups.
Source: Counter Punch
Author: Julia Barnes
Even as the ocean struggles under the assaults of industrial fishing, ocean warming, pollution, and acidification, corporations are pushing to exploit it in a new and dangerous way.
Deep sea mining includes plans to extract polymetallic nodules from the sea floor. Commercial exploitation could begin as early as 2024. It would involve house-sized machines indiscriminately extracting the contents of the seabed, sending the material to a ship at the surface, processing, and subsequently dumping a slurry of wastewater back into the ocean.
Source: The Guardian Podcast
Kalolaine Fainu reports from Papua New Guinea on how deep-sea mining could threaten daily life in coastal communities, and Pacific editor Kate Lyons explores the race to protect the deep sea.
Source: The Island Sun
Author: Eddie Osifelo
Solomon Islands’ Ministry of Mines, Energy and Rural Electrification Permanent Secretary Dr Christopher Vehe said this week that “Solomon Islands is not ready to welcome deep-sea mining.”
Source: Tahiti Infos
The inaugural Blue Climate Summit, co-convened by Prince Albert II of Monaco and President Édouard Fritch, took place from 14-20th May in French Polynesia.
The summit highlighted the need for critical action to protect our ocean, including an international moratorium on deep-sea mining.
Continue reading Deep-sea mining a key topic at the Blue Climate Summit in Tahiti
Source: El País
Author: Celia Fernandez
The controversy is growing: proponents of deep-sea mining use the ecological transition argument, but environmental organizations state it is a false climate solution.
Continue reading Will metals from the seabed be allowed to be mined in 2023?
Source: European Parliament
The European Parliament has reiterated its call for a moratorium on destructive deep-sea mining. It is essential that the European Commission and member states carry this call through to the International Seabed Authority this year.
Continue reading European Parliament calls once again for a moratorium on deep-sea mining
Source: Eco-business
Author: Robin Hicks
Credit Suisse has committed to rule out financing deep-sea mining.
The French multinational bank published new lending guidelines for sectors with high environmental, social and governance (ESG) risk on Wednesday, and declared that it would not provide any financing for the exploration or extraction of seabed minerals.
Continue reading Credit Suisse joins growing list of banks shunning deep-sea mining
