The campaign to prevent environmental damage from experimental deep-sea mining has gone global, reflecting the mounting worldwide concern about this new form of mineral extraction.

Care2, an on-line community of more than 17 million people, has launched an on-line petition [1] asking the United Nations to stop experimental deep-sea mining until the potential impacts are known.

The petition has attracted more than 10,000 signatures in just a few days - more than double its original target of 5,000 - and it is still growing.

The avidly pro-mining Somare government late last year controversially approved the world’s first experimental seabed mine of the coast of Papua New Guinea. Canadian company, Nautilus Minerals, and an as yet unnamed Chinese partner are developing Solwara 1.

Chinese mining companies are also exploring undersea hydrothermal vents in the Indian Ocean which has sparked international media [2] over the threat to rare and previously unknown marine species.

Experimental seabed mining is being backed by the European Union, which is funding the Secretariat of the South Pacific (SPC) to develop laws to authorize the mining throughout the Pacific region. The project has been criticized for disenfranchising Pacific communities [3].

Pacific civil society has launched its own petition [4] against experimental seabed mining, which is also attracting international support.

FOOTNOTES

 1. http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/ask-the-un-to-delay-mining-in-deep-sea-vents/

 2. http://ramumine.wordpress.com/2012/01/08/chinese-exploration-threatens-rich-find-of-seabed-creatures/

 3. http://www.actnowpng.org/content/spcsopac-project-experimental-seabed-mining-disenfranchises-pacific-people 

 4. http://www.actnowpng.org/content/tell-pacific-governments-slow-down-experimental-deep-sea-mining