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deep sea mining
Top 2024 Victories for People and Planet to Inspire Next Year’s Activism
Across the globe, people took bold steps to care for the planet; 2024 showed us the strength of coming together with purpose and passion.
Dec 31, 2024
Dear changemakers, thank you for all that you’ve done this year.
Reflecting on 2024, we endured yet another year filled with climate catastrophes, political unrest, and international inequality. But even through these challenging times we can find hope in our collective actions and victories, no matter how big or small. Together, we can pave the way forward towards a better future.
Dear Earth, thank you for continuing to show up every day for us.
Across the globe, people took bold steps to care for the planet. 2024 showed us the strength of coming together with purpose and passion. These efforts may not solve every challenge overnight, but they are the building blocks of creating lasting change.
Dear Earth citizens, we invite you to take moments to appreciate living on this planet.
The journey that we are on is a long one, so friends, take care of yourself as we heal the world together. What lies ahead may not be easy, but as we continue to show up, make our voices heard, and hold polluters accountable we must not forget to take care of ourselves, our peers and our communities.
Dear all, we hope that you’ll join us on this journey towards a better future, taking care of our planet, ourselves, and each other.
With courage as our compass and optimism as our fuel, here are some of the top victories of 2024 for people and the planet to inspire us to keep taking action.
United Kingdom: Shell Backs Down in Lawsuit Against Greenpeace
In February 2023, Shell launched a multi-million dollar lawsuit against Greenpeace U.K. and Greenpeace International over a peaceful protest. But with our supporters behind us, we showed Shell their bullying tactics won’t intimidate us—and now they’ve backed down and agreed to settle out of court. People power works—this campaign was fought with the support of thousands of ordinary people against one of the richest companies in the world.
This legal battle might be over, but Big Oil’s dirty tricks aren’t going away. With Greenpeace facing further lawsuits around the world, we won’t stop campaigning until the fossil fuel industry stops drilling and starts paying for the damage it is causing to people and the planet.
Norway: Arctic Deep-sea Mining Plans Stopped
Huge win for the ocean as Arctic deep-sea mining plans are stopped in Norway! After more than a year of decisive campaign work and massive pressure from activists, scientists, and the international community, the Norwegian government has agreed to stop the first licensing round for deep-sea mining in Arctic waters for at least the rest of their term in office, until the next election.
This is a major and important environmental victory which shows that mobilization and people power works.
Indonesia: Measures to Regulate Labor Standards for Fishing Vessels Adopted
After years of discussions, rejections, objections, and negotiations involving governments, civil society organizations including Greenpeace Indonesia, and unions representing migrant fishers, the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) finally adopted the Conservation and Management Measures (CMM) for Crew Labor Standards on December 3, 2024.
The WCPFC oversees fish population management, promotes sustainable fishing practices, and implements conservation measures. This decision underscores their commitment to ensure the well-being of crew in an industry that suffers from serious labour abuses.
Oceans: Deep-Sea Miners’ Efforts to Limit the Right to Protest at Sea Rejected
Over the last year, The Metals Company and its enablers have repeatedly tried to silence the global wave of resistance. After failing to get an injunction that stopped the action at sea, and unsuccessfully lobbying governments to limit protests around deep-sea mining vessels at the International Seabed Authority in March, the company pursued an appeal at the Amsterdam Court of Appeal to try and secure immunity against future Greenpeace protests at sea. But thanks to the incredible work of Greenpeace International’s legal unit, on November 12, 2024, the court ruled once more in our favor, reaffirming our right to peaceful protest at sea.
Brazil: Sawré Muybu Territory Officially Demarcated
On September 25, 2024, the Sawré Muybu territory in the Tapajós River Basin in the heart of the Amazon rainforest was officially demarcated. The Munduruku People have been fighting for the rights to a land that has always belonged to them but is threatened by mining, illegal logging, and infrastructure projects. This is a historic and profoundly symbolic victory not only for the Munduruku, but for all Indigenous Peoples of the Amazon and Brazil.
South Korea: Top Court Ruled the Country’s Carbon Neutrality Law as Unconstitutional
On 29 August 2024, South Korea’s Constitutional Court ruled the country’s carbon neutrality law as unconstitutional for violating citizen’s rights—making it the first ruling of its kind in Asia! The petition was filed in 2020 by over 200 plaintiffs, including young activists and even infants, and is Asia’s first climate court case targeting a country’s carbon neutrality commitments. This is a major climate win for future generations, and could potentially set a precedent in the region for other climate cases.
Australia: Woolworths and McDonald’s Commit to Going Deforestation-Free
Woolworths and McDonald’s in Australia announced their commitments to source deforestation-free beef. Woolworths will do so by the end of 2025 but McDonald’s will implement theirs by 2030 (Greenpeace Australia Pacific will continue to engage with McDonald’s to ensure they commit to taking deforestation off the menu—by 2025!). These two giant corporations are some of Australia’s biggest retailers and major buyers of Australian beef.
This is a major example of people power as Greenpeace Australia Pacific supporters had sent the big corporations thousands of emails, demanding they go deforestation-free.
Global: Breakthrough for Global Tax Justice
In a big win for global tax justice, a favourable blueprint for a UN Tax Convention that will pave the way for a fair and efficient global tax system was laid out in August. An inclusive tax cooperation system will shift power from a few rich OECD countries to the UN where every country has a vote and help governments around the world recover the billions lost to tax dodging by multinational corporations and the ultra-rich. There is still much to do to keep up the pressure as negotiations will continue until 2027.
South Africa: Shell Loses Appeal in Case Halting Plans for Oil and Gas Exploration
Big win against Shell in South Africa! After protests by the community and fishers, Shell loses its appeal against the landmark decision in 2022 which ruled against their plans to conduct oil and gas exploration off the Wild Coast of South Africa. The court says Shell failed to properly inform and consult affected communities, taking into account community rights and environmental harm. Unfortunately, the fight is not yet over as the court has left the door open for Shell’s application to renew its exploration right. Together with allies and the community, Greenpeace Africa is resolute in continuing to fight to stop Big Oil from exploiting the planet for its own profit.
Papua: Major Land Rights Win for Indigenous Peoples
On June 6, 4,000 Indigenous Papuans finally received legal recognition of customary rights over 97,411 hectares of tropical rainforests in South Sorong Regency. The newly recognised Indigenous lands of the Knasaimos Peoples spans an area almost the size of Hong Kong.
As with many Indigenous communities across Tanah Papua (the western half of New Guinea, also known internationally as West Papua), the Knasaimos Peoples have been fighting for decades to protect their customary lands from exploitation by external interests such as logging and plantation companies. This ruling finally provides legal recognition of their rights to the land, forests, water, and other natural resources that are their ancestral heritage.
Oceans: World’s Highest Oceans Court Ruling to Protect Our Oceans
In a historic Advisory Opinion, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), the world’s highest oceans court, found that greenhouse gas emissions are a form of marine pollution and countries are obligated to reduce emissions for the sake of our oceans. The ruling is a huge victory in the protection and preservation of the marine environment.
Europe: European Nature Restoration Law Passed
The European Nature Restoration Law was passed and has come into effect! This law is the most important piece of environmental legislation in Europe in decades, aiming to restore and protect European biodiversity hotspots. It imposes unprecedented legally binding obligations onto E.U. Member States to restore protected nature reserves, peatlands, and dwindling bird and pollinator populations, and protect urban nature amongst others. This is a huge win for the nature movement in Europe!
Switzerland: Historic Court Win Confirms That Climate Protection Is a Human Right
The Association of Senior Women for Climate Protection Switzerland, also known as the KlimaSeniorinnen, took action against their country, Switzerland, for violating the seniors’ human rights by failing to set sufficient climate targets. On April 9, they received the landmark decision of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), achieving a historic victory for all generations. The ruling is an iconic moment for climate justice globally, confirming that climate protection is a human right.
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'Monumental Victory for the Ocean': Norway Halts Plans for Deep-Sea Mining
One campaigner called it "a testament to the power of principled, courageous political action, and... a moment to celebrate for environmental advocates, ocean ecosystems, and future generations alike."
Dec 02, 2024
Environmental organizations cheered as Norway's controversial plans to move forward with deep-sea mining in the vulnerable Arctic Ocean were iced on Sunday.
The pause was won in Norway's parliament by the small Socialist Left (SV) Party in exchange for its support in passing the government's 2025 budget.
"Today marks a monumental victory for the ocean, as the SV Party in Norway has successfully blocked the controversial plan to issue deep-sea mining licenses for the country's extended continental shelf in the Arctic," Steve Trent, CEO and founder of the Environmental Justice Foundation, said in a statement. "This decision is a testament to the power of principled, courageous political action, and it is a moment to celebrate for environmental advocates, ocean ecosystems, and future generations alike."
"Today, thanks to the SV Party and all those around the world who spoke up against this decision, the ocean has won. Now, let's ensure this victory lasts."
Norway sparked outrage in January when its parliament voted to allow deep-sea mining exploration in a swath of its Arctic waters larger than the United Kingdom. Scientists have warned that mining the Arctic seabed could disturb unique hydrothermal vent ecosystems and even drive species to extinction before scientists have a chance to study them. It would also put additional pressure on all levels of Arctic Ocean life—from plankton to marine mammals—at a time when they are already feeling the impacts of rising temperatures and ocean acidification due to the burning of fossil fuels.
"The Arctic Ocean is one of the last pristine frontiers on Earth, and its fragile ecosystems are already under significant stress from the climate crisis," Trent said. "The idea of subjecting these waters to the destructive, needless practice of deep-sea mining was a grave threat, not only to the marine life depending on them but to the global community as a whole."
"Thankfully, this shortsighted and harmful plan has been halted, marking a clear victory in the ongoing fight to protect our planet's blue beating heart," Trent continued.
In June, Norway announced that it would grant the first exploratory mining licenses in early 2025. However, this has been put on hold by the agreement with the SV Party.
"This puts a stop to the plans to start deep-sea mining until the end of the government's term,” party leader Kirsti Bergstø said, as The Guardian reported.
Norway next holds parliamentary elections in September 2025, so no licenses will be approved before then.
The move comes amid widespread opposition to deep-sea mining in Norway and beyond. A total of 32 countries and 911 marine scientists have called for a global moratorium on the practice. More than 100 E.U. parliamentarians wrote a letter opposing Norway's plans specifically, and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) has sued to stop them.
"This is a major and important environmental victory!" WWF-Norway CEO Karoline Andaur said in a statement. "SV has stopped the process for deep seabed mining, giving Norway a unique opportunity to save its international ocean reputation and gain the necessary knowledge before we even consider mining the planet's last untouched wilderness."
Haldis Tjeldflaat Helle, the deep-sea mining campaigner at Greenpeace Nordic, called the decision "a huge win."
"After hard work from activists, environmentalists, scientists, and fishermen, we have secured a historic win for ocean protection, as the opening process for deep-sea mining in Norway has been stopped," Helle said in a statement. "The wave of protests against deep-sea mining is growing. We will not let this industry destroy the unique life in the deep sea, not in the Arctic nor anywhere else."
However, Norway's Arctic waters are not entirely safe yet.
Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere, of the Labour Party, toldTV2, on Sunday, "This will be a postponement."
The government said that other work to begin the process of deep-sea mining, such as drafting regulations and conducting environmental impact surveys, would move forward. Norway is currently governed by the Labour and Center parties. The two parties leading in polls for September's elections—the Conservatives and Progress Party—also both back deep-sea mining, according toReuters.
"If a new government attempts to reopen the licensing round we will fight relentlessly against it," Frode Pleym, who leads Greenpeace Norway, told Reuters.
Other environmental groups tempered their celebrations with calls for further action.
Trent of the Environmental Justice Foundation said that "while today is a cause for celebration, this victory must not be seen as the end of the struggle."
"We urge Norway's government, and all responsible global actors, to make this a lasting victory by enshrining protections for the Arctic Ocean and its ecosystems into law, and coming out in favor of a moratorium or ban on deep-sea mining," Trent added. "It is only through a collective commitment to sustainability and long-term stewardship of our oceans that we can ensure the health of the marine environment for generations to come."
Trent concluded: "Today, thanks to the SV Party and all those around the world who spoke up against this decision, the ocean has won. Now, let's ensure this victory lasts."
Andaur of WWF said that this was a "pivotal moment" for Norway to "demonstrate global leadership by prioritizing ocean health over destructive industry."
As WWF called on Norway to abandon its mining plans, it also urged the nation to reconsider its exploitation of the ocean for oil and gas.
"Unfortunately, we have not seen similar efforts to curtail the Norwegian oil industry, which is still getting new licenses to operate in Norwegian waters, including very vulnerable parts of the Arctic," Andaur said. "Norway needs to explore new ways to make money without extracting fossil fuels and destroying nature."
Greenpeace also pointed to the role Norway's pause could play in bolstering global opposition to deep-sea mining.
"Millions of people across the world are calling on governments to resist the dire threat of deep-sea mining to safeguard oceans worldwide," Greenpeace International Stop Deep-Sea Mining campaigner Louisa Casson said. "This is a huge step forward to protect the Arctic, and now it is time for Norway to join over 30 nations calling for a moratorium and be a true ocean champion."
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Saving the Deep Blue Sea Is Up to All of Us
As we have begun to unravel the mysteries of the deep sea over the past two decades, the wisdom behind the international community’s commitments to protect it is clearer than ever. Now is time to act.
Sep 24, 2024
This week’s United Nations General Assembly marks nearly 20 years since the body first resolved to restrict bottom trawling on the world’s seamounts, submarine mountains that rise thousands of feet above the sea floor and comprise some of the most biologically rich marine ecosystems on the planet.
Led by Palau and other small island nations with generations-long ties to the ocean, the ensuing decades witnessed a raft of subsequent agreements that expanded protections for more of the deep sea—the dark, cold waters below 200 meters—culminating last year with the adoption of a treaty to protect marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction.
These are important achievements that should be celebrated. But, we have been involved in diplomacy long enough to know that such agreements are often just the beginning of a long and winding journey to full implementation.
Today, for instance, not only does bottom trawling continue on seamounts, it occurs in ever deeper waters, despite scientific evidence of the severe damage it causes to corals and other habitats. In fact, the UN’s most recent World Ocean Assessment found that “fishing, especially bottom trawling, constitutes the greatest current threat to seamount ecosystems”.
A similar story is unfolding elsewhere in the deep sea. Not long ago, the crushing pressure and near total darkness of the mesopelagic layer of the ocean, sometimes referred to as the “twilight zone” (200-1000 meters deep), was thought to be inhospitable to life.
However, technological advances like submersibles and remotely operated vehicles, now offer a window on a world that is alive with deep water fish, squid, and shrimp. It is estimated that this marine realm holds up to 95 percent of all ocean fish by weight and as many as 10 million different species—a level of biodiversity akin to tropical rainforests.
We also now know that the deep sea environment is critical to the health of the ocean’s wider food web, including fish stocks that countless people around the world depend on for food and employment.
Moreover, new research has revealed that the mesopelagic’s staggering biomass plays an indispensable role in the climate system by keeping enormous amounts of heat-trapping gasses out of the atmosphere in a process known as the carbon pump.
However, as overfishing, pollution, and rapidly warming waters continue to take a toll on global fish stocks, nations have increasingly been looking at authorizing their fleets to exploit the deep sea in order to meet the insatiable demand for fish products used in fertilizer, aquaculture, and dietary supplements.
The danger of over-exploitation doesn’t end 1000 meters down. Mining companies have long looked to extend their reach from the land into the deep sea. Today, for example, the UN-affiliated International Seabed Authority, which regulates deep-sea mining, is working on finalizing rules to manage commercial operations on the ocean floor.
It has already permitted exploratory mining voyages in the Pacific’s vast Clarion-Clipperton Zone, where the ships dredge the sea floor 4000-5000 meters below the surface for nodules of nickel, manganese, copper, and cobalt that without government subsidies would never turn a profit.
As elsewhere, the activities could cause irreversible damage to the ecosystem and potentially release carbon that has been stored safely for millennia. If approved, full-scale mining could commence in a few years.
Remarkably (and not without irony), research funded in part by a corporate mining interest recently discovered the presence of “dark oxygen” in the same area of the seabed. It has long been understood that oxygen was created by living organisms in the presence of light through the process of photosynthesis.
However, a study published over the summer suggests that the electrochemical properties of the aforementioned nodules can generate oxygen in total darkness. The findings could have far-reaching implications that help us understand the origins of life and demonstrate the high stakes involved with mining.
As we have begun to unravel the mysteries of the deep sea over the past two decades, the wisdom behind the international community’s commitments to protect it is clearer than ever. Our imperative task today is to fully implement them before it is too late.
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