The news just broke that Norway’s government approves opening the seafloor it controls to deep sea mining activities.
There will still be a formal Parliamentary debate and decision in early January, but this looks increasingly like a formality.
The announcement also curiously coincides with the first day of the industry-led Deep Sea Minerals conference, which I’m attending.
Much more to come, but this is a development I want everyone to be aware of. Just yesterday, I moderated a symposium panel where we heard from many scientists urging caution in how we handle the deep sea, which hosts strange and fantastic life and supports our life, too. Scientists are not a monolith, and not all of them urged equal amounts of caution. Still, Norway’s scientists send the message that their government is moving quickly and irresponsibly toward deep sea mining.
The government, meanwhile, seems to only want to speed up.