Before the deep-sea mining sector began, Germany requested a "precautionary stop." Berlin warns that seabed mining may "destroy ecosystems" and encourages the International Seabed Authority to put the environment first as it considers new regulations.
A Call for Action
Germany has demanded a halt to the contentious deep-sea mining business, claiming that there is not enough information on the possible effects of mining the ocean floor for metals.
Germany, the fourth-largest economy in the world, is the most prominent country to have expressed opposition to deep-sea metal extraction thus far. However, other countries, such as Spain and New Zealand, have previously called for a temporary halt to any such exploitation. Two of the 31 licenses for seabed exploration are in the country's possession.
The destruction of ecosystems caused by mining nickel, cobalt, and other metals from the seafloor has been forewarned by scientists as "dangerous," "irresponsible," and "irreversible."
Also Read: "We Are Nearing Irreversible Climate Breakdown," Alarming Climate Study Claims
Precautionary Pause
Germany has called for a "precautionary pause" in the developing industry, which has not yet started mining for commercial purposes. This comes after calls from Spain and New Zealand to stop seabed metal extraction until environmental impact research has been done and regulations with strict environmental standards are in place.
The French president, Emmanuel Macron, called for legislation to halt deep-sea mining in June but did not call for a delay.
Several businesses, including the German automakers BMW and Volkswagen, have stated they would not purchase metals that have been extracted from the ocean floor.
"The German government here wants to underline its view that current knowledge and available science is insufficient to approve deep seabed mining until further notice," the German representative said in a statement to the International Seabed Authority, the UN-affiliated organization in charge of regulating deep-sea mining, which is meeting at its headquarters in Kingston, the capital of Jamaica.
Steffi Lemke, the nation's environment minister, declared that deep-sea mining would irrevocably damage ecosystems and put even more strain on the seas. We are urging a halt as a first step to avoid making any hasty judgments that harm the marine ecology.
Before It's Too Late
We now have the chance to prioritize nature protection and its investigation and avoid another impending environmental disaster with the help of our international allies. We can only combat biodiversity and climate crises with a healthy ocean.
The Deep Sea Conservation Coalition's Matthew Gianni called the German declaration "important" since it indicated resistance to deep-sea extraction until adequate environmental rules were in place. Gianni is now in Jamaica to observe the discussions over mining restrictions.
He said that it might alter the meeting's dynamics in Kingston. Gianni stated, "They are sending a political signal that they oppose any nation applying to mine under the two-year limit before rules are finalized.
The "two-year rule" is a legislative provision that, after a nation declares its intention to begin seabed mining, allows the ISA council two years to complete the rules governing deep-sea mining. The Pacific island country of Nauru activated the rule in July 2021, which implies that even if no environmental or economic regulations have been reached, seabed extraction might start as early as July 2023.
The marine specialist for Greenpeace Germany, Till Seidensticker, called the German declaration a "positive beginning step" towards the effective defense of the deep sea.
He praised the German government for joining nations like Spain and New Zealand in urging the precautionary principle to be preserved for the deep sea.
"The current call for a precautionary halt is a positive first step toward properly preserving the waters."
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