Planning Sustainable Deep Sea Mining

The increase in world population and the expected global development of economy after COVID-19 pandemic will continue to impose unprecedented pressure on securing supply minerals. World Bank report “Minerals for Climate Action: Mineral Intensity Clean Energy Transition” finds that production minerals such as graphite, lithium cobalt could by nearly 500% 2050, meet growing demand clean energy technologies. Many these critical are found deep seabed, only place earth where mineral resources have not been exploited yet. There is a strong need ensure be extracted sustainable way, verifying protection marine environment biodiversity. regulatory, financial engineering challenges sea mining considerable, but fact considered prohibitive, taking into account remarkable achievements recent years. On other hand, it evident existing modern ecosystem-based management approaches cannot applied areas without detailed knowledge individual species ecosystems; most living deep-sea floor remain unknown up until now. new environmental approach each specific area. successful procedures Natura 2000 can followed, necessary information conditions has collected separately at every site minimum period 10–15 2000, world’s largest ecological network united under single, uniform regulatory framework, regarded one conservations success stories effort protect