Thirty-six nations meet to hammer out deep sea mining code

THE United Nations’ International Seabed Authority (ISA) will meet today to hammer out regulations governing deep sea mining despite objections from at least 27 nations.

Meeting in Kingston, Jamaica, until July 26, the 36-member ISA council will negotiate the latest draft of a long-awaited “mining code”, designed to regulate the exploration and extraction of “polymetallic nodules” and other deposits on the ocean floor, said Reuters in a report on Monday.

“I think it will become very clear at this session that there is still a long way to go,” Pradeep Singh, an ocean governance specialist at Germany’s Potsdam Institute told the newswire. Countries were still divided over the final text.

Many are concerned the code is being rushed through without proper scrutiny and want to slow the process down, Singh said. While many are concerned about environmental risks, others are also looking for clarity about how proceeds from deep sea mining will eventually be shared, said Reuters.

According to Reuters, the Pacific island state of Nauru has triggered the urgency on establishing a mining code for ocean floor mining. It is expected to submit a mining license application on behalf of Canada’s The Metals Company later this year, regardless of whether or not regulations are complete.

“A growing number of states are saying no, we will not allow that to happen,” said Singh. “Those states calling for a pause remain committed to negotiating the regulations, so it is not as if they are saying they don’t want deep sea mining to happen.”