Greenpeace to study marine mammals in Arctic area targeted for deep sea mining

Greenpeace has launched an Arctic expedition to survey whales and dolphins in an area targeted for deep-sea mining.

The campaign group said scientists and campaigners have set sail to a mining area in the Norwegian Sea as the country’s government moves forward with opening Arctic waters to exploration.

Deep sea mining, which involves scooping up metals and minerals from the ocean’s seabed, is a nascent industry that has yet to start full-scale commercial production.

However, environmentalists and scientists are concerned about the practice causing widespread pollution, underwater noise and irreparable damage to ecosystems that act as critical carbon sinks.

The Greenpeace expedition will cover the mining area, starting in Jan Mayen Island in south Norway before heading north through international waters to Svalbard by mid-August after almost 20 days at sea.

Greenpeace aims to learn more about the whale and dolphin species in the area that could be impacted by mining activity.

The organisation warned that Arctic waters are one of the most fragile ecosystems in the world, rapidly undergoing environmental change due to pollution-fuelled climate damage.

The Arctic mining area is punctuated by underwater mountains and deep sea ridges, offering rich habitat for foraging and migrating whales, among many other species, it added.

Over several weeks, scientists onboard the Greenpeace ship Witness will conduct a visual-acoustic survey for cetaceans living in the area, including for some species that are globally threatened.

We hope our scientific data will complement other research ongoing in the area

Dr Kirsten Young, science lead from Greenpeace Research Laboratories at the University of Exeter, said: “ Whales and dolphins live and feed in the same deep sea area that the Norwegian government is opening for mining, and are highly sensitive to industrial activities and noise pollution.

“We are interested in which species are present in the region and also in their behaviour,” she said from onboard the ship.

“We hope our scientific data will complement other research ongoing in the area.”

Greenpeace said the Norwegian mining companies plan to cut the ancient mineral-rich crust directly from seamounts, which whales and dolphins use as feeding and breeding areas, or even for navigational aids when they migrate.

The firms are also exploring the potential to mine hydrothermal vents – hot springs produced by volcanic activity beneath the seabed, where some scientists believe that life on Earth emerged.

The campaigners warned that this has the potential to do “irreparable harm” to the deep sea ecosystem.

Norway became the first country in the world to green-light exploratory deep sea mining earlier this year, with other nations now watching closely.

The emerging industry has claimed that the practice is essential for the energy transition as minerals used in batteries like nickel and cobalt can be found on the ocean floor.

However, more than 800 scientists from across the world have joined calls for a pause on deep sea mining.

Besides the environmental impact, they highlighted huge data gaps and questions as to whether such mining is justifiable in terms of mineral demand.

Just this week, a scientific study revealed that polymetallic nodules in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone – the biggest area targeted for deep sea mining located in the Pacific Ocean – may be playing a key role producing oxygen in the deep sea without photosynthesis.

Many governments have moved to reject deep sea mining in the last year due to the growing concerns.

Haldis Tjeldflaat Helle, political campaigner from Greenpeace Nordic, said: “The Norwegian government is ignoring warnings from hundreds of concerned scientists, and is gambling with fragile ecosystems and future generations’ livelihoods.

“With this move, Norway has lost all international credibility as a responsible ocean nation.”

Franziska Saalmann, marine biologist and oceans campaigner onboard for Greenpeace Germany, added: “It’s simple, the more we know about deep sea mining, the harder it is to justify it.”

PA has contacted the Norwegian Energy Ministry for comment.