New Study Shows Sea Mining Will Accelerate Climate Change


By Paloma Duran | Journalist and Industry Analyst - Wed, 01/31/2024 -


New research suggests that seabed mining may aggravate clmate change by altering marine organisms that contribute to reducing global greenhouse gas emissions. The study contributes to countries’ requests to halt sea mining until its true impact is known.

In a recent investigation featured in the Frontiers in Marine Science journal, 17 locations on the Arctic Ocean floor were investigated, where nearly 1,000 photographs were taken and samples were collected for analysis. The findings revealed that the marine life in these regions stores a greater amount of carbon than previously thought. “Previous calculations have underestimated how much carbon is being removed by marine life because they were based on data from troughs on the ocean floor. We systematically assessed a wider range of seafloor sites and found that far more carbon is being removed in continental shelf waters,” Terri Souster, Researcher, The Arctic University of Norway.

Scientists explained that deep-sea organisms, such as corals and sponges, absorb carbon from their environment to grow. Once these organisms die, the carbon remains hidden in the sediments on the ocean floor, forming what scientists call "blue carbon". This carbon plays a vital role in reducing greenhouse gases. Therefore, sea mining would disrupt marine life, accelerating climate change.

This research is a part of broader initiative aiming at showing the limited understanding the world has regarding seabed mining. While some countries, including Mexico, advocate for an international moratorium on seabed mining until scientific gaps are addressed, others, like Norway, have moved ahead with commercial-scale deep-sea mining. In addition, they have invited companies to apply for mining permits in national waters. Simultaneously, the International Seabed Authority is drafting regulations that could eventually permit seabed mining in international waters. However, experts hope that these findings demonstrate the need to better understand the consequences of sea mining and its role in climate change.

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.