HarmonyVote
Global Deep-Sea Mining Moratorium Act
Abstract:
This act establishes a binding international moratorium on all deep-sea mining operations to prevent irreversible harm to marine ecosystems, biodiversity, and planetary climate systems, until sufficient scientific evidence proves it can be done safely and sustainably.
Description:
Description:
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Immediate Moratorium on Deep-Sea Mining Activities:
Suspend all commercial exploration and extraction of minerals from the deep sea, including polymetallic nodules, cobalt-rich crusts, and hydrothermal vent fields, in international waters and within national jurisdictions. -
Review and Suspension of Existing Contracts:
Freeze all pending or approved licenses granted by the International Seabed Authority (ISA) and national governments, pending full environmental risk assessments and global consensus on standards. -
Comprehensive Scientific Assessment:
Establish a UN-led panel of marine scientists to conduct an exhaustive, peer-reviewed global environmental assessment of the impacts of deep-sea mining on marine ecosystems, climate feedback loops, and ocean carbon storage. -
Protection of Biodiversity Hotspots:
Expand the network of deep-sea marine protected areas (MPAs), especially in regions of high biodiversity such as hydrothermal vents, seamounts, and abyssal plains. -
Support for Mineral Alternatives and Circular Economy:
Invest in research and development of sustainable alternatives to seabed minerals, including urban mining (recycling rare metals from e-waste), resource substitution, and mineral efficiency technologies. -
Just Transition for Stakeholders:
Provide financial and technical support for workers and communities affected by the mining halt, focusing on training for clean energy, ocean conservation, and responsible electronics recycling. -
Public Transparency and Global Oversight:
Require all ISA-related and national seabed exploration data, including ecological impact studies, to be made publicly available. Establish a watchdog body for compliance and whistleblower protection. -
International Legal Reform:
Push for reform of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and ISA regulations to recognize deep-sea ecosystems as part of the “common heritage of humankind,” not a commercial resource frontier.
Possible Outcomes and Implications:
- Prevention of mass destruction of unknown marine species and ecosystems.
- Preservation of deep-ocean carbon sinks critical to climate stability.
- A global shift toward sustainable mineral sourcing and circular technologies.
- Stronger ocean governance and precautionary environmental stewardship.
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Voting Instructions:
- If you support the "Global Deep-Sea Mining Moratorium Act", respond with "Yes."
- If you do not support the act, respond with "No."
- If you have suggestions for modifications or additional points, please share them.