Norway's government recently announced the halt on its controversial plan to permit commercial-scale mining across 280,000 square kilometers (108,000 square miles) of ocean, an area larger than the United Kingdom. This decision comes in response to the Socialist Left Party's threat to withdraw support for the government’s budget if the mining licensing round scheduled for 2025 was not canceled. Environmental activists and scientists had warned that moving forward with such mining operations posed severe risks to marine ecosystems, prompting opposition from 32 nations, including major players like France, Canada, Brazil, and Germany.
Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre described the decision as a "postponement," noting that preparatory work on regulations and evaluating the project's environmental impact would continue without delay. Haldis Tjeldflaat Helle from Greenpeace Norway celebrated the announcement, calling it a "huge win" and criticizing Norway for its contradictory stance on ocean leadership while advancing plans that could lead to ecological devastation.
Initially, Norway became the first nation to push ahead with commercial deep-sea mining when it approved the plans in January. The deep sea contains valuable minerals essential for green technologies, such as lithium, scandium, and cobalt, which are critical for the development of sustainable energy solutions. However, concerns are mounting that, despite Norway’s intent to lessen dependency on China for these materials, the environmental ramifications could be dire.
The European Union and the UK have both advocated for a temporary moratorium on deep-sea mining, citing risks to marine biodiversity and exacerbating climate change as primary concerns. Over 100 EU lawmakers have urged Norway to reconsider the project. Moreover, the Institute of Marine Research in Norway has expressed skepticism regarding the adequacy of the government's environmental impact assessments, recommending additional research extending five to ten years.
In light of the recent developments, several Norwegian seabed mining companies were prepared to enter the licensing round, but one such firm, Green Minerals, has indicated that it now anticipates a delay of up to a year following the initiative's suspension.
Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre described the decision as a "postponement," noting that preparatory work on regulations and evaluating the project's environmental impact would continue without delay. Haldis Tjeldflaat Helle from Greenpeace Norway celebrated the announcement, calling it a "huge win" and criticizing Norway for its contradictory stance on ocean leadership while advancing plans that could lead to ecological devastation.
Initially, Norway became the first nation to push ahead with commercial deep-sea mining when it approved the plans in January. The deep sea contains valuable minerals essential for green technologies, such as lithium, scandium, and cobalt, which are critical for the development of sustainable energy solutions. However, concerns are mounting that, despite Norway’s intent to lessen dependency on China for these materials, the environmental ramifications could be dire.
The European Union and the UK have both advocated for a temporary moratorium on deep-sea mining, citing risks to marine biodiversity and exacerbating climate change as primary concerns. Over 100 EU lawmakers have urged Norway to reconsider the project. Moreover, the Institute of Marine Research in Norway has expressed skepticism regarding the adequacy of the government's environmental impact assessments, recommending additional research extending five to ten years.
In light of the recent developments, several Norwegian seabed mining companies were prepared to enter the licensing round, but one such firm, Green Minerals, has indicated that it now anticipates a delay of up to a year following the initiative's suspension.
