The Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) celebrated the European Commission’s reaffirmation of its stance on a moratorium on deep-sea mining.
On September 17, a coalition of 16 NGOs expressed concern to the European Commission regarding references to deep-sea mining in Mario Draghi’s report on the Future of European Competitiveness. The report suggested that the EU should “carefully explore the potential of environmentally sustainable deep-sea mining,” relying on an 11-year-old study. However, recent research indicates that deep-sea mining is unnecessary to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement.
In response to the coalition’s letter, the European Commission reiterated its commitment to advocating for a prohibition on deep-sea mining. They highlighted a broad consensus among scientists and nations that our understanding of the deep-sea environment and the impacts of mining is insufficient for safe decision-making. Furthermore, the Commission noted that under the recently adopted Critical Raw Materials Act, deep-sea mining projects are not recognized as Strategic Projects.
Steve Trent, CEO and founder of the EJF, stated, “The European Commission’s position on deep-sea mining has always been clear, and this confirmation further solidifies that stance. It demonstrates the EU’s commitment to prioritizing marine environmental protection by rejecting deep-sea mining until scientific knowledge gaps are adequately addressed. We have ample evidence showing that we do not need to exploit the ocean for our batteries. Let’s maintain our momentum toward making Europe a leader in the circular economy, choosing true sustainability over the destruction of new ecosystems.”
Support for a moratorium on deep-sea mining is growing, with 32 countries, including 11 EU member states, now advocating for a precautionary pause or outright ban on the industry.
