Norway’s Ministry of Petroleum and Energy has proposed to open a 127,000-square-mile area of the Norwegian Sea to deep-sea mining (Mongabay). This region of the sea bed, roughly the size of Germany, has been found to contain large quantities of rare earth metals and minerals, such as magnesium, copper, and zinc (Reuters). Those in favor of Norway’s proposal highlight that the metals and minerals found in Norway’s continental shelf are in high demand as the globe makes a transition to renewable technologies (Mongabay). They claim that deep-sea mining is crucial for acquiring the minerals needed for the energy transition (Reuters). 

Scientists, citizens, and industry actors have voiced opposition. Many fear that deep-sea mining would irreversibly harm habitats and species essential to marine ecosystems. For instance, research suggests that plumes generated from extraction dispel dissolved heavy metals across large regions of the ocean, infiltrating the food chain (Mongabay). Opponents also condemn the fact that the area proposed for mining overlaps with marine areas the nation has previously identified as valuable and vulnerable. Many are calling for a moratorium on deep-sea mining until more research is conducted on possible impacts. If Norway follows through with the plan, it would become one of the first nations to initiate deep-sea mining in domestic waters (Mongabay).