Deep Sea Mining: The solution to growing mineral demand or risk beyond control?

The accelerating demand for critical raw materials—including manganese, nickel, copper, cobalt, and rare earth elements—is intensifying international efforts to secure reliable and diversified sources of supply. In this context, mineral-rich deposits located in various deep-sea environments have drawn increasing interest from governments, industry actors, and research institutions. Deep-sea mining is being promoted by some stakeholders as a potentially viable strategy to meet future material needs, particularly in support of the global energy transition and emerging digital technologies.

However, the deep sea remains one of the least explored and most ecologically sensitive regions of the planet. Scientific understanding of its biodiversity, ecosystem functions, and role in climate regulation is still developing. Recent research underscores the ecological importance of deep-sea environments in carbon cycling, species diversity, and habitat connectivity. Yet current knowledge remains insufficient to comprehensively assess the long-term impacts of large-scale mineral extraction in these areas.

Concerns are therefore mounting across the scientific community and beyond. Environmental risks such as habitat destruction, sediment plumes, and the potential loss of unknown species are compounded by the limitations of existing monitoring technologies and the absence of proven mitigation measures. In response, a growing number of scientists, governments, civil society organisations, and Indigenous representatives are calling for a precautionary pause or moratorium on deep-sea mining activities until robust scientific evidence and effective governance frameworks are in place.

At the same time, international legal and institutional developments are progressing rapidly. The International Seabed Authority (ISA), the UN-affiliated body responsible for managing mineral resources in areas beyond national jurisdiction, has already issued over 30 exploration licenses and is working towards the adoption of a regulatory framework for the commercial exploitation of deep-sea resources. Parallel to this, the recent entry into force of the Agreement on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) raises critical legal and institutional questions, particularly regarding environmental protection, benefit-sharing, and coordination among global governance regimes.