The newly elected Norwegian government today ruled out deep-sea mining licenses in Arctic waters until at least the end of 2029. The agreement to stop all exploration and exploitation of deep-sea minerals was confirmed after pressure from the environmental movement and hard negotiations from the green opposition parties in Norway.
Norway will also cut all public funding for government-led mineral mapping, marking a major shift in its stance on deep-sea mining. Once one of the mining industry’s strongest proponents, the Norwegian government is now moving to halt both exploration and exploitation in its own waters.
The decision is another blow to a deep-sea mining industry whose viability has come under repeated strain before even going into business. In November, Cook Islands authorities announced that deep-sea mining applications in the Pacific nation’s waters would be subject to five-year extensions, delaying mining in the region until at least 2032.
Last month, Greenpeace activists visited the Norwegian embassy in London to deliver a letter urging the Nordic country to reject deep-sea mining.
Haldis Tjeldflaat Helle, Deep-Sea Mining Campaigner at Greenpeace Nordic said:
“Deep-sea mining in Norway has once again been successfully stopped. We will not let this industry destroy the unique life in the deep sea, not in the Arctic, nor anywhere else. Now Norway must step up and become a real ocean leader, join the call for a global moratorium against deep-sea mining, and bring forward a proposal of real protection for the Arctic deep sea.”
Erica Finnie, Ocean Campaigner at Greenpeace UK, said:
“This setback for the industry comes at a time when the UK government is reviewing its sponsorship of deep-sea mining exploration licenses. The UK should read the writing on the wall that there is no future for mining the deep sea, and focus its efforts on building support for a global moratorium.”
Louisa Casson, Deep Sea Mining Campaigner, Greenpeace International said:
“Millions of people across the world are calling on governments to resist the dire threat of deep-sea mining to safeguard oceans worldwide. This is yet another huge step forward to protect the Arctic, and now it is time for Norway to join over 40 countries calling for a moratorium and be a true ocean champion.”
ENDS
Photos and Video can be found in Greenpeace Media Library
The full list of countries calling for a moratorium
Contacts:
Greenpeace UK news team on 020 7865 8255 and at press.uk@greenpeace.org
Haldis Tjeldflaat Helle, Deep Sea Mining Campaigner, Greenpeace Nordic: haldis.helle@greenpeace.org, +47 93 47 32 13
Sol Gosetti, Global Media Coordinator, Stop Deep Sea Mining campaign, Greenpeace International: sol.gosetti@greenpeace.org, WhatsApp +44 (0) 7380845754