The third part of the 27th session of the International Seabed Authority, a meeting where the rules and regulations about how the deep ocean will be mined, begins today. If process is your jam, you can watch the UN negotiations here: https://isa.org.jm/web-tv

For a very concise overview of where we currently stand, I published the transcript of my recent talk, here: Deep-Sea Mining: A whirlwind tour of the state of the industry and current policy regimes

Some recent press to get you up to speed

• Landing on the Abyssal Plain
• New Zealand joins call for ‘conditional’ ban on seabed mining in international waters
• NZ Opposes Seabed Mining in International Waters
• Cook Islands Seabed Minerals Authority ‘concerned’ with New Zealand’s call for deep sea mining ban
• The Case Against Deep-Sea Mining
• How will China’s submersibles help us explore the ocean depths?

Hey, Andrew, did you really need to include three articles about the same New Zealand Story? Yes. One is from a New Zealand news source, one if from Papua New Guinea, who previously attempted deep-sea mining and now are generally opposed to new developments, and one is from the Cook Islands, who are actively pursuing deep-sea mining.

Detailed coverage of the previous meetings this session.

• Nothing is Agreed Until Everything is Agreed: the Financial Model dominates the first meeting of the 27th session of the International Seabed Authority
• The “Sword of Damocles” hangs over the future of Deep-sea Mining
• “Let us be up to the task that has been given to us” – Four key takeaways from the summer meeting of the International Seabed Authority
• Legal Consequences of the Two-Year Rule at the ISA and Implications of Missing the Deadline
• Transparency and trust in the Deep-sea Mining Industry
• The Price We’re Willing to Pay: trade-offs and balance in the deep-sea mining industry

And, of course, follow the Deep-sea Mining Observer for a deep dive into the development of the Mining Code (though, regrettably, the DSMO will be going on hiatus after this year, so the next issue is the final issue).

One final note: This third meeting is only a meeting of the ISA Council. The ISA Assembly, which meets next June, has the authority to approve mining regulations. Which means that though much will be discussed, language will be hammered out, and compromises will be made, there will not be a final decision on the Mining Code in the next two weeks.