We want the environmental bar to be set high and for the industry to innovate to reach it. A ban would stop innovation and remove significant funding for scientific research. It is well established that we will need a lot of critical minerals for the energy transition away from fossil fuels (e.g. IEA, World Bank Group). Deep sea mining represents an opportunity for environmentally and socially responsible access to these resources. Consumer demand for responsibly sourced materials is rising, so we should define what that looks like and empower the innovators to do their work. We also feel that a holistic approach to critical minerals is required. A deep sea mining moratorium, pause, or ban would only result in more land-based mining impacts and will make it impossible to achieve Net-Zero by 2050.
