One curious contradiction in the International Seabed Authority is that some of the member states that are currently most vocal about enforcing a strong moratorium (if not outright ban) on deep-sea mining also currently hold ISA exploration leases. The UK and France, as well as Germany and Brazil, have all made statements in support of some form of ban, mortarium, or precautionary pause.
Brazil backed its statements up with action at the last ISA session, relinquishing its mining exploration leases and ending its relationship with its mining contractor as the Brazilian delegation announced the new administration’s preference for a precautionary pause. At that same meeting, several states remarked that while France was now calling for an outright ban, the country still had several mining exploration leases through its contractor, IFREMER (which, yes, is also France’s premier deep-sea research institute).
France has held exploration mining contracts for hydrothermal vents in the Atlantic and polymetallic nodules in the Pacific. They extended their nodule lease last year and, as of yesterday, France has relinquished half of its hydrothermal vent lease, a move it is required to do as a condition of their exploration contract.
The UK sponsors UK Seabed Resources, a company that was previously owned by Lockheed and was sold last year to Norway’s Loke Marine. UKSR has two mining exploration contracts in the Clarion Clipperton Zone. Germany also has a nodule lease in the CCZ and a hydrothermal vent lease in the Indian Ocean.
This puts the ISA in a tricky situation. Mining exploration contracts require that the contractor work towards developing those resources. Member states aren’t allowed to acquire lease blocks just to sit on them and keep them out of circulation. But even without mining, those leases are revenue generators for the ISA and contractors who hold leases are required to provide training opportunities for scientists from developing states.
As more states call for bans, moratoria, or precautionary pauses, I’m interested in seeing how the ISA deals with those states who are asking to halt development while still maintaining active exploration leases. Brazil has already relinquished its lease. I expect that France and Germany will be permitted to run out the clock on their existing leases, but not apply for new ones so long as they endorse a ban or precautionary pause.
I’m particularly interested in what happens with the UK leases, since the contractor has changed owners and is now based in a country that is much more supportive of deep-sea mining. UK Seabed Resources was sponsored by the UK initially because the US couldn’t sponsor Lockheed, since we never ratified the treaty. Norway can sponsor a mining contractor and currently sits on the ISA Council.
Other countries are joining the call for a precautionary pause, with Denmark making its position known at the opening session yesterday. There are 13 other member states who sponsor mining contractors, and while I don’t foresee Korea, China, Russia, Nauru, Japan, or India, all of whom have invested significant capital into developing their industry, joining any call for a pause, there are a few other countries who could surprise us.
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Great write up!