The Deception of Deep Sea Mining

voting for conservation in Ecuador.

Dear earthlings,

Have you heard of deep sea mining? Recently, the International Seabed Authority held important talks in Jamaica, discussing the future of our oceans. We decided to look into who was behind the big push of another destructive industry. Read our story below!

🗞️ In Climate News

• 🔥 Hawaii fires’ death toll rises to 67.

• 🌡️ ‘Winter is disappearing’: South America hit by ‘brutal’ unseasonal heatwave.

• 🇵🇦 Panama Canal reduces the number of ships daily due to the drought.

• 🌳 Amazon nations fail to agree on common deforestation goal at Belem Summit.

• 🪸 ‘Huge’ coral bleaching unfolding across the Americas prompts fears of global tragedy.

• 🍚 Price of rice in Asia soars to highest in 15 years due to lack of rain.

• 🇪🇺 Extreme weather across Europe, from floods in Norway to wildlfires in Portugal.

• 🇪🇨 On August 20th the Ecuadorian people will vote via a referendum whether or not they want oil drilling to continue in Yasuní National Park, in the Amazon.

📈 Cool Trends

• 💧harvesting water from air.

• 💊 microdrinks.

♾️ eco-stories

The Deception of Deep Sea Mining

The International Seabed Authority (ISA) was founded in 1994 as an autonomous organisation established through the implementation of Part XI of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). It became operational in 1996 to safeguard what we know as the “deep sea” — an area considered the “common heritage of all mankind“ — by protecting the ecosystems of the seabed, ocean floor and subsoil in areas beyond national jurisdiction. The ISA’s focus includes controlling the development of deep sea mining, which was debated last month through two of the five arms of the ISA, the Council and the Assembly.

On July 21, the ISA Council concluded two weeks of intense negotiations. Discussions were focused on a deep sea mining code, which was not agreed nor adopted. The mining industry interested in the sea floor were hopeful of starting their operations this year. This was led by one of the attendees, The Metals Company, who was sponsored by the Government of Nauru in creating the Nauru Ocean Resources, Inc. (NORI). NORI has engaged in comprehensive research of seabed rocks, or polymetallic nodules, which they say are packed with cobalt, copper and nickel, and could power 280 million electric vehicles. 

🌏 The Culture Club

📺 What we’re watching:

📸 Profile of the week: @look_down_action

author

Look Down Action on Instagram: “Seven new countries have joined the fight against #DeepSeaMining: Switzerland, Sweden, Ireland, Canada, Brazil, Finland and Portugal 🇨🇭 🇸🇪 🇮🇪 🇨🇦 🇧🇷🇫🇮🇵🇹 The future of the deep sea now hangs in the balance as ISA meetings continue this month in Kingston, Jamaica. 🇯🇲 We are on a good path, but we need you for the final push ⬇️ Head to our link in bio to ask the remaining governments to #StopDeepSeaMining! 🔥 Let’s #StopDeepSeaMining 🧜‍♂️ 🗺️ credits for the amazing map & graphic: @theoxygenproj”

August 13, 2023

📚 What we’re reading: Women Who Run with the Wolves, Clarissa Pinkola Estes
🤯 Scary fact we learnt this week: Global heating likely to hit world food supply before 1.5C, says UN expert.