Wir sind auf der UN Ocean Conference!
Vom 9. - 13. Juni treffen sich Tausende von Menschen in Nizza, um gemeinsam den Schutz der Meere voranzubringen.
Auf höchster Ebene im UN Plenum und in kleinen Gruppen in unzähligen Side-Events. Mit strengen Zugangsbeschränkungen oder offen für alle.
Wir sind froh und stolz, Teil dieser UN Konferenz sein zu können. Und ein Side-Event zum Tiefseebergbau ausrichten zu können. Nicht irgendwo, sondern auf einem ganz besonderen Schiff: der Vaka Okeanos! Danke an die Okeanos Stiftung für diese Möglichkeit und an unser großartiges UNOC Team.
“Narrative Shifting in the Deep Sea Mining Debate: Why we don’t need the minerals of the deep”
On April 24, 2025, U.S. President Trump signed an executive order to expedite deep-sea mining permits in both U.S. and international waters. With powerful advocates like Trump and Gerard Barron, CEO of The Metals Company, pushing for extraction to begin as soon as possible, the pressure to act is growing.
Until now, opposition to deep-sea mining has largely focused on the devastating environmental impacts. But what if we shift the narrative toward economic risks, non-existent necessity, legal uncertainty, and corporate responsibility?
Despite industry claims, studies indicate that the minerals from the deep seabed are not essential, even in the face of rising demands for the energy transition, digital technologies, or defense systems. Moreover, an increasing number of countries, major companies (i.e., Google, Samsung, SAP, BMW, Renault, Volkswagen), and financial institutions are calling for a global moratorium on deep-sea mining, citing environmental concerns and the need for more scientific research. This growing consensus of economic actors has received far too little attention in the public discourse.
Our side-event will bring together voices from science, policy, industry, and civil society to explore a critical question: How can we shift the narrative of deep-sea mining as a ‘solution’ to today’s ecological and economic challenges?
