U.S. Government to help; Bypassing the International Seabed Authority could spark tensions.
Deep-sea mining—the extraction of minerals from the ocean floor—is seen as a potential solution to the growing demand for raw materials. However, its environmental impact remains insufficiently studied, prompting countries like France and Germany to advocate for a moratorium. In contrast, the Canadian company The Metals Company (TMC) has been pushing for years to obtain approval for harvesting mineral resources in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, a vast area in the central Pacific. While nations have the sovereign right to exploit seabed resources within their own territorial waters, mining in international waters falls under the jurisdiction of the International Seabed Authority (ISA). To date, the ISA has not granted any permits for commercial deep-sea mining, effectively halting extraction efforts in these contested areas. However, TMC is unwilling to accept this standstill, pointing to its significant financial investments in the venture.
Now, the U.S. government is being called upon to intervene by granting an exploration and mining license under the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act—a move based on national legislation. If approved, this circumvention of the ISA would constitute a violation of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), Bloomberg cites legal expert Duncan Currie as saying. The issue has now reached the highest levels in Washington following a meeting between TMC representatives and government officials. Citing insider sources, Reuters reports that a presidential Executive Order is even under consideration to fast-track mining operations in international waters. Given the intensifying global race for resources, such a move could heighten geopolitical tensions, Reuters highlights.
Photo: Remains via Canva