Matt Upton

Mining the deep sea: the true cost to the planet

Kerry Howell, Matt Upton, Claire

As global demand for green technology minerals outstrips land-based reserves, deep-sea mining operations utilizing vehicles like the ROV Isis target vast deposits of critical metals in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone and hydrothermal vents. While proponents cite Japan's recent successful extraction and the urgency of replacing ethically problematic land mining, scientists warn that the unregulated exploration licenses issued by the International Seabed Authority threaten to destroy unique species and disrupt essential carbon-sequestering ecosystems. The International Seabed Authority is currently evaluating applications that could launch large-scale industrial extraction, prompting urgent calls to weigh these economic gains against the irreversible loss of unknown biodiversity and ecosystem services.