WWF Takes Legal Action Against Norway Over Deep-Sea Mining

WWF has taken legal action against the Norwegian government for allowing deep sea mining in its waters, claiming that Norway has failed to adequately assess the ramifications of such activities and to meet its legal obligations.

In January, Norway became the first country to approve commercial deep-sea mining, disregarding scientists' warnings about the potential negative impact on marine biodiversity. The proposal allows sea mining in the Arctic region, spanning 280,000km2—an area larger than Britain, reported the Guardian. WWF-Norway claims that the Norwegian Ministry of Energy's assessment does not meet the minimum requirements of the Seabed Minerals Act, lacks a legal basis and does not provide sufficient scientific or legal justification for seabed mining.

“We believe the government is violating Norwegian law by now opening up for a new and potentially destructive industry without adequately assessing the consequences. It will set a dangerous precedent if we allow the government to ignore its own rules, override all environmental advice, and manage our common natural resources blindly,” said Karoline Andaur, CEO, WWF-Norway.

The Norwegian Ministry of Energy says that it has followed due process in approving sea mining. “We believe that a thorough process has been carried out with broad involvement, and that the applicable requirements have been followed. I note that WWF wants to try the case in court, and they have the right to do so. At this time, we have no further comment on the lawsuit,” said Astrid Bergmål, Minister of State, Ministry of Energy.

The European Parliament has expressed concern over Norway's decision and urged member states to support a moratorium. So far, 25 countries, including France, Germany, Spain, Palau, Mexico, and Sweden, have called for a moratorium or ban on seabed mining.

What is Mexico’s Position on Sea Mining?

In Nov. 2023, Mexico supported the moratorium on seabed mining, arguing that there is not enough scientific information to know its true environmental impact. The current government’s position is that seabed mining can only start when standards, rules, and guidelines are created to ensure the protection of the environment. If seabed mining is carried out outside of national authority, the government stressed that enforcement, inspection, monitoring, and compliance procedures must be established in advance.

While Mexico does not carry out deep-sea mining yet, the country has a significant opportunity to do so. It has access to the Atlantic and the Pacific Ocean and is located right next to the most prolific region for marine mining: the Clipperton Fracture Zone. Mexico’s mineral reserves have been estimated to contain 21Bt of polymetallic nodules, which contain about 6Bt of manganese, 226Mt of copper, 94t of cobalt and 270Mt of nickel.