Deep-Sea Mining: A Dangerous Gold Rush, According to Guterres
Global Gathering in Nice Warns Against Turning World's Oceans into the Lawless Frontier - International Gathering in Nice: Preserving the World's Oceans from Lawlessness
So here's the sitch: António Guterres is yelling fire in a crowded ocean. He's sounding the alarm about deep-sea mining, warning that the seabed outside of national waters shouldn't turn into the new Wild West. Why's that, you ask? Well, because those minerals? They're the common heritage of mankind, buddy. And mining 'em poses a significant threat to biodiversity, releases heaps of climate-crisis CO2, and plops heavy metals into our plate-lunch-chain.
That's right. Let's take a "precautionary pause" before we throw caution to the winds and dig up the deep seas like a bunch of lunatic prospectors. Sure, France wants a complete ban on deep-sea mining, but Germany's settling for a "precautionary pause." As Carsten Schneider, German Federal Environment Minister, ponderously expressed in his opening speech aboard the German research ship Meteor in glitzy Nice, strict environmental standards need to be hammered out to thwart Mother Nature's impending wrath. The pressure to plunder resources in the international deep sea? It grows like whiskers on a cat. 🐈
Meanwhile, Emmanuel Macron took aim at the USA, stating that the wide-open seabed ain't for sale, just like Greenland ain't up for grabs. (He was probably thinking of Donald Trump's claims on Greenland. Sigh.) And the USA, in response? They sent the big kahuna of the White House environmental task force, Edward Russo. Talk about making an entrance! It seems that politics and seas go together like peanut butter and jelly, right?
Anywho, over 60 heads of state and government flocked to Nice for the UN conference like a school of fishy politicos. The Ocean Conference is a grand 'ole coming-together-for-a-greater-cause kind of shindig, where politicians and scientists gather to improve marine protection. Germany showed up with several initiatives, including fundin' a marine nature conservation fund, which gets financed by funds from the offshore wind industry and 400 million euros from the federal government.
Now, what's my two cents about the High Seas Treaty? It enables the designation of protected areas in international waters, which previously operated like the lawless frontier of the old West. 🤠 Germany's announced that they aim to ratify the treaty eventually, but their timeline ain't clear. They want to be there at the First Contracting States Conference in August 2026 in New York, their spokesperson claimed.
In light of the growing desire to exploit international deep-sea resources, France and the UK have announced limited fishing restrictions, albeit to varying degrees. The UK's expandin' its protected areas, where this environmentally damaging form of fishing is banned, from the current 18,000 square kilometers to 48,000 square kilometers. But France? They're only hopin' to increase their protected areas to only 15,000 square kilometers, which is a measly four percent of their waters. Yikes!
And let's not forget that the conference also aims to prep for the upcoming negotiating round for a plastic agreement in August. Ya know, 'cause what we're sending to the seas these days is mostly our plastic waste. Not cool, Bonnie and Clyde. Not cool. 🗑️
- Location: Nice, France
- Figurehead: António Guterres
- Mining: Deep-sea
- Country: Germany
- Ocean: World Ocean
- Conference: UN Ocean Conference
- Pressure: For resources
- Plastic: Waste
- Greenland: Trump's claims
- Environment: Protection
- Seabed: International deep sea
- Macron: USA attack
- Fishing: Trawler restrictions
- In light of the growing threat to the environment, the Commission has also been asked to submit a proposal for a directive on the protection of the environment and the environment in the Community, focusing particularly on climate-change, science, and environmental-science to address the issues arising from deep-sea mining and the potential impact on biodiversity.
- Industry and business leaders should be aware that policy-and-legislation on the environment, finance, energy, and business practices are under close scrutiny, as they play a significant role in shaping the future of the world ocean, especially in relation to deep-sea mining and the protection of the seabed resources as the common heritage of mankind.
- The ongoing UN Ocean Conference in Nice is not only a gathering place for politicians and scientists to improve marine protection but also an opportunity for governments to demonstrate their commitments to the environment, as countries like France and the UK have announced fishing restrictions and plans to increase protected areas for the preservation of biodiversity.
- As deep-sea mining and climate-change remain hot topics in politics, the focus of the conference also extends to plastic waste reduction, with preparation underway for the upcoming negotiating round in August for a plastic agreement aimed at addressing the growing issue of plastic pollution in the oceans.
- For those who are interested in the broader implications of deep-sea mining, the future of the international deep sea, and the related environmental challenges, general-news outlets and resources on science and climate-change will provide valuable insights into the issues at hand and the ongoing efforts to preserve the environment in the Community and beyond.
