Norway recently suspended its plans to open up vast tracts of seabed for deep-sea mining, a practice that can harm fragile marine ecosystems.
Previously, the country was set to hand out mining licenses for more than 100,000 square miles of seabed, according to a report by Agence France-Presse via Phys.org. However, the Socialist Left Party blocked the move in return for supporting the minority government's 2025 budget.
Conservationists celebrated the news, with Greenpeace Norway's Frode Pleym telling Reuters, "It should be the nail in the coffin for the destructive industry."
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However, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoer said to private broadcaster TV2 that this was only a postponement, not an abandonment of the country's licensing plans.
Deep-sea mining poses an environmental conundrum. On one hand, it helps provide access to elements like copper, cobalt, zinc, and rare earths that will be necessary to build a greener future. For instance, Japanese researchers recently discovered precious metal deposits in the Pacific Ocean that could contribute to EV battery production for decades.
However, mining activities can damage fragile marine ecosystems. Harvard International Review calls out the dangers of deep-sea mining, including the potential release of carbon stored in the seabed, as well as noise and light pollution that could disrupt animals' ability to survive. All of this could impact human communities that rely heavily on fishing, the publication added.
According to Phys.org, Norway said it has included "tough safeguards" into its proposed licensing system and that licenses could be canceled.
But environmental groups like Greenpeace have vowed to fight against any attempts by the country to reopen licensing, Reuters reported.
"Norway's decision to proceed with opening up vast areas of ocean for destructive mining activities on the seabed is an unprecedented management scandal," Karoline Andaur, CEO of World Wildlife Fund-Norway, said in a statement prior to the announcement of the licensing halt. "We have never seen a Norwegian government so arrogantly ignore all scientific advice and defy the warnings of leading marine researchers."
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