Germany set to vote against lifting ban on deep sea mining for energy transition resources
dpa / Die Welt
Germany looks set to vote against lifting the current ban on mining the seabed in international waters at a conference on the future of deep sea mining, news agency dpa reported in an article published by newspaper Die Welt. The conference will take place in Jamaica and is organised by the International Seabed Authority (ISA). By the start of the week, 28 countries had voiced their support for a moratorium on deep sea mining. While some companies see the seabed as a lucrative market opportunity that could supply valuable minerals and other resources needed in the global energy transition, environmental groups and researchers have warned that mining the seabed could lead to immense and lasting damages in an environment that is scarcely explored and understood. The group opposed to exploiting the seabed, which includes Germany, aims to ban deep sea mining until the possible impact of extraction activities is fully understood.
A Canadian company announced its intention to apply for a deep sea mining licence in the Pacific Ocean, hoping to commercially exploit reserves of so-called polymetallic nodules. Such nodules have formed over long geological timescales and contain minerals such as manganese, cobalt, copper and nickel, which, amongst other things, are used for manufacturing batteries. However, marine researchers have said the consequences of large-scale mining on the seabed are potentially devastating for the fragile ecosystems at the bottom of the sea. Many also question the need to tap into this environment for commercial purposes while other, more easily accessible reserves are available.
The material demands of a transition towards a low-carbon energy system are immense, meaning countries like Germany that expand renewable power generation will have to greatly expand imports of many different raw materials over the next years. Germany and the EU therefore have started to focus on diversifying their supply of raw materials regarded as critical for key energy transition technologies.
