OTTAWA – As part of a global day of action, Greenpeace activists and staff created a 48 by 30 foot octopus light installation on Maple Island near the federal Global Affairs buildings to urge Minister Melanie Joly to say no to deep sea mining in international waters. The International Seabed Authority (ISA) — the body that regulates seabed activities and whose 36-member Council Canada sits on — is set to meet in July to determine whether the deep sea mining industry will launch.
Twenty activists and staff, using LED lights, created a representation of a ghost octopus, a species that lives in the deep sea and lays its eggs on mineral deposits on the seabed. The ghost octopus is one of thousands of species at risk from deep sea mining. The octopus, portrayed emerging from the water with its sights set on the Global Affairs building, holds one banner reading, “Stop Deep Sea Mining!” with a speech bubble urging, “Protect my home, Minister Joly!”
“Minister Joly is responsible for Canada’s positions at the ISA, but she’s yet to take a public position on deep sea mining,” said Sarah King, head of Greenpeace Canada’s Oceans and Plastics campaign. “We’re in Ottawa to remind the Minister of the unique marine life that could be lost forever if Canada doesn’t join the growing chorus of countries saying no to this destructive industry.”
Fourteen states have come out in favour of a moratorium, precautionary pause, or outright ban on deep sea mining in the high seas. While Canada announced an “effective moratorium” in national waters in February, its position on deep sea mining in areas beyond national jurisdiction has not been made clear. The government says that seabed activities should “do no harm to the marine environment.” However, a recent review of environmental surveys conducted in the area targeted for mining found 5,000 previously undiscovered species, and scientists have warned that deep sea mining would do irreparable harm to the million year old habitats and unique species.
Companies vying to mine the deep sea wish to begin submitting mining applications to the ISA this year. The front-runner is a Canadian-registered company, The Metals Company. In July 2021, Nauru, sponsoring state for The Metals Company’s subsidiary Nauru Ocean Resources Inc, triggered the “two-year rule,” a legal mechanism intended to speed up the adoption of deep sea mining regulations.
A handful of other corporations, largely based in the Global North, have also expressed intention to mine the deep sea, mainly in a large area of the Pacific Ocean between Hawaii and Mexico called the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ).
The next round of talks will take place July 10th to 28th in Jamaica at the International Seabed Authority.
“Allowing deep sea mining to be greenlit would fly in the face of global biodiversity protection goals that Canada has supported,” King said. “The oceans already bear the brunt of our biodiversity, climate and pollution crises and this is a rare opportunity to prevent further harm before it starts. Canada must work with other countries to ensure no mining plans are approved as a result of the two-year rule.”
Opposition to deep sea mining is growing amongst scientists, Pacific Indigenous Peoples, and investors. Thirteen offices participated in the global day of action. Greenpeace has a global campaign to stop deep sea mining and is calling on governments to support a global moratorium at the ISA in July.
ENDS
Notes to media
[1] Photos and videos of the display are available here. Photos and videos of displays from other Greenpeace offices around the world are available here. More will be uploaded to these albums throughout the day.
[2] A media backgrounder on deep-sea mining is available here.
[3] Greenpeace Canada’s petition calling on Canada to stop deep sea mining can be found here.
For more information, please contact:
Brandon Wei, Communications officer, Greenpeace Canada
[email protected]; +1 778 772-6138
We need Canada to stop deep sea mining before it starts. Join the campaign now.