Norway suspends controversial deep-sea mining plan

Norway has decided to halt its controversial plan to allow companies to mine the seabed for precious metals. This decision comes after significant public outcry and protests against the seabed mining initiative. Earlier this year, demonstrators gathered outside the Norwegian Parliament building in Oslo to voice their concerns. Among those present were Norwegian member of Parliament Arild Hermstad, French climate activists Camille Etienne and Anne-Sophie Roux, and French actor Lucas Bravo. They held signs that read 'Stop deep sea mining,' highlighting their opposition to the project. The Norwegian government had intended to open up an area of the sea for mining that is larger than the entire United Kingdom, covering approximately 280,000 square kilometers. However, the Socialist Left Party in Norway announced that they would not support the government's budget unless the first licensing round for the mining project, scheduled for 2025, was canceled. This political pressure led to the government pausing the project. Environmental scientists had raised alarms about the potential catastrophic effects of seabed mining on marine life, and the plans faced opposition from 32 countries, including France, Canada, Brazil, and Germany. Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoer referred to the recent development as a 'postponement' and assured that preparatory work on regulations and environmental impact assessments would continue. Haldis Tjeldflaat Helle from Greenpeace Norway expressed that the pause was a significant victory, stating, 'It has been truly embarrassing to watch Norway positioning itself as an ocean leader while planning to give the green light to ocean destruction in its own waters. ' The energy ministry in Norway has yet to provide any comments regarding this decision. Earlier this year, Norway became the first country in the world to advance with commercial-scale deep-sea mining when it approved the plans in January. The deep sea is rich in minerals such as lithium, scandium, and cobalt, which are essential for green technologies. While these metals can be found on land, they are concentrated in a limited number of countries, which raises concerns about supply risks. Norway emphasized that it did not want to rely on China for these critical materials and stated that it would only begin issuing licenses after conducting further environmental research. This stance has put Norway at odds with the European Union and the United Kingdom, both of which have called for a temporary ban on deep-sea mining due to environmental concerns. More than 100 lawmakers from the EU urged Norway to reject the mining project, citing the risks to marine biodiversity and the acceleration of climate change. The Institute of Marine Research in Norway criticized the government's research into the environmental impact of the mining plans, stating that five to ten more years of study were necessary. Last week, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Norway announced that it was suing the government over the proposed plans. At least three Norwegian seabed mineral start-ups had expressed their intention to bid in the first licensing round. On Monday, one of these start-ups, Green Minerals, indicated that it expected a delay of up to a year following the suspension of the plans.