'Catastrophe for the ocean': Norway government criticised after approving deep-sea mining

Activists have said they will "not stop fighting" to oppose deep-sea mining in the Arctic Ocean after Norway moved a step closer to becoming the first country in the world to push forward with the controversial practice.

On Tuesday, the Norwegian Parliament voted to approve the exploration of some 108,000 square miles of the Arctic Ocean - an area larger than the United Kingdom between Norway and Greenland.

The decision was met with fierce rebuttal from environmental groups, such as Greenpeace and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), which described it as a "catastrophe for the ocean".

In a statement, Kaja Loenne Fjaertoft, WWF No Deep Seabed Initiative Global Policy Lead, said: "The Parliament's decision to move forward with seabed mining against all expert advice, with an impact assessment that has been widely criticised, is a catastrophe for the ocean, and leaves a big stain on Norway's reputation as a responsible ocean nation."

Currently, it is unclear how quickly deep-sea mining could begin in Norway, and the country's government still needs to approve the issuing of licences to begin extraction.

Last year, a Norwegian study found a "substantial" amount of metals and minerals on the seabed of Norway's extended continental shelf.

Supporters of deep-sea mining have argued that it will enable a quicker transition to a low-carbon economy and could come at a lower environmental cost than terrestrial mining.

Norway's government has said that "extraction will only be permitted if the industry can demonstrate that it can be done in a sustainable and responsible manner".

Separate concerns, meanwhile, have been raised about the potential impact that deep-sea mining could have on marine life and ecosystems, which are already feeling the impacts of pollution and trawling.

"We do not know what we risk losing for the exact reason that we do not know what the deep sea holds," Frode Pleym, head of Greenpeace Norway, told CNN.

The UK is one of a number of countries which has urged caution on deep-sea mining, with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's government announcing its support for a moratorium on the practice last year.

In November, more than 100 European politicians wrote an open letter to the Norwegian parliament, urging it to vote against deep-sea mining.

Another open letter, signed by 800 plus scientists from around the world, has called for a pause in the practice, saying it risks causing losses "that would be irreversible on multi-generational timescales".

The Norwegian government's decision comes at a time when stakeholders are holding a wider debate around whether international waters should also be opened up to deep-sea mining.

The International Seabed Authority, the United Nations (UN) affiliated body which regulates seabed extraction, is expected to finalise rules on mining in international waters next year.

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know...