Norway aims at pioneering deep-sea mining amid environmental concerns

Norway’s parliament has voted in favor of deep-sea mining for green technology metals in its waters this week. Norway gets a step closer to be the first country to open up seabed for commercial deep-sea mining.

The proposal attracts huge criticism from local and global organizations regarding its environmental impact. The Norwegian government confirmed the voting result but declined further comments.

If implemented, the proposal would make approximately 280,000 square kilometers of Norway’s national waters available for mining—an area exceeding the size of Britain. Companies will be able to apply for licenses to mine minerals such as lithium, scandium, and cobalt. To address concerns, the Norwegian government adapted the proposal last year to ensure that the parliament will have the final say in granting exploitation licenses.

According to experts, exploitation is not expected to begin before the early 2030s. This timeline suggests that there are still many variables and considerations that could influence the final realization and implementation of the proposal. The decision by Norway’s parliament thus marks a critical step in balancing the nation’s ambitions in green technology metals extraction and sustainable practices.