the International Seabed Authority under pressure

the International Seabed Authority under pressure

The UN agency in charge of the regulation of deep seas must decide in the coming weeks on their mining. And the subject is controversial: the ocean floor is home to many rare metals, but their exploitation could be an environmental disaster. Several states are therefore calling for a moratorium.

The deadline is approaching in July. ” In exactly 100 days, said Emma Wilson, from the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition during the closing session of the International Seabed Authority council meeting on Friday March 31, the AIFM could receive a request from any sponsor State of a company for an operating contract. The maligned mining of the seabed could therefore begin, unless the ten opposing States, including Francemanages to win the case at the International Seabed Authority (AIFM), responsible both for the protection of the potential exploitation of the ocean floor outside national jurisdictions.

► To read also: Towards an authorization for seabed mining?

At the end of these two weeks of negotiations, the defenders of the oceans denounced the “ open door to a very soon green light to underwater mining, even in the absence of strong environmental rules. Nevertheless “ the political atmosphere has changed dramatically in a year “, estimated Emma Wilson, of the NGO group Deep Sea Conservation Coalition. Two states have already joined the coalition of countries calling for a precautionary measure or a moratorium. But beyond this group, there are a lot of countries that have also taken the floor to call for the implementation of the precautionary principle, emphasizes Anne-Sophie Roux, of the Alliance for a Sustainable Ocean, who attended the negotiations. The circle of states that are starting to sound the alarm goes beyond the narrow circle of states that are calling for a moratorium. »

Companies that refuse exploitation projects

At the same time, more and more companies are withdrawing from the sector. Samsung or Google have announced that they no longer want to use metals recovered from the deep sea for their products. This week, a giant in the sector declared that it wanted to leave this industry: Lockheed Martin [le géant américain de l’armement, NDLR] announced that it was leaving the industry, thus disengaging from all its seabed mining projects. So, effectively, there is also a financial and economic front alongside the political front. »

The Jamaica-based authority has so far only awarded exploration contracts to research centers and companies in well-defined areas that are potentially rich in minerals. A final meeting is scheduled before the deadline. This time, the AIFM assembly will meet with its 167 member states.

► Also to listen: The difficult implementation of the treaty on the high seas

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