In what is now Norway, ancient fisher-farmers once caught massive bluefin tuna along the world’s second-longest coastline. Over the centuries, Norwegians honed their fishing techniques, becoming adept navigators of the sea. However, in the 1960s, annual herring catches, which had peaked at 600,000 tons, abruptly vanished due to overfishing practices facilitated by new technology. This led to a nearly two-decade recovery for the herring population.
Now, Norway is poised to embark on a new technological venture: deep-sea mining. On January 9, 2024, the Norwegian parliament voted to allow exploration for minerals like copper and cobalt from the seafloor, aiming to be the first nation to commercially mine the ocean floor. Unlike the fishing industry, which relies on stable fish populations, deep-sea mining poses a significant threat to marine ecosystems, risking destruction before scientists can fully understand the life forms at stake.
Norway’s mining plans are particularly extreme. While other regions focus on harvesting polymetallic nodules, Norway aims to mine its volcanic seabed using remote-controlled machines to dismantle hydrothermal vents and strip mineral crusts from seamounts. This aggressive method threatens to devastate complex ecosystems that harbor a surprising amount of life, including anemones, sponges, and ancient corals.
Deep-sea ecosystems develop incredibly slowly; some corals can live for up to 3,000 years. As such, any damage caused by mining could take centuries, if not longer, to recover. The deep sea remains largely unexplored, with many species yet to be discovered. Research in this environment is challenging, and scientists often struggle to comprehend how these ecosystems function.
Recent history in Norway shows that overfishing and pollution have already led to significant declines in marine life, such as in the Oslofjord, where over 80% of cod populations have vanished. Lessons learned from previous ecological collapses highlight the importance of regulating human activity in the oceans.
The recovery of coastal ecosystems has been relatively swift, but the consequences of deep-sea mining could be far more enduring. The slow pace of deep-sea life regeneration raises concerns about the long-term impacts of mining, especially given the limited understanding of these habitats.
Although Norway’s exploration process mandates environmental baseline surveys, these will likely only cover areas with attractive mineral deposits, leaving vast regions unstudied. Without comprehensive data, any regulatory measures will be speculative at best.
Norwegians have a historical connection to the sea and a track record of utilizing technology to exploit natural resources. While this has often led to ecological harm, it also opens the door for protective measures and sustainable practices. An alternative to deep-sea mining could be urban mining, where valuable minerals are recovered from existing infrastructures.
As Norway stands at this crossroads, the challenge will be to balance technological advancement with ecological preservation. The future may depend on innovative approaches that prioritize sustainability over extraction.
