Deep-sea mining is the subject of ongoing discussions at the International Seabed Authority (ISA). Such mining would pose substantial risks to marine life and ecosystems, as well as humans, which are not yet fully understood.
It stands to negatively impact many ocean dwellers, from small organisms who live on the seafloor to large marine mammals. Moreover, the ocean is the world’s biggest carbon sink. As the World Resources Institute has pointed out, mining could impact its carbon cycle through the destruction of deep-sea biodiversity, with implications for global warming.
Further, if deep-sea mining does go ahead, it could cost the Earth – financially speaking – for companies involved too. This is because experts say risks should be quantified and passed on to mining companies via the cost of contracts if the ISA does its due diligence in the ongoing deliberations.
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