Bergen, Norway – Participants joining an international deep sea mineral conference in Bergen were met by a surprise, as their lobby event turned into a loud and colorful casino.
The peaceful action was followed by a blockade of the conference room by activists. The message from Greenpeace Nordic was clear: The deep-sea mining industry is gambling with life in the ocean.
“The deep sea mining industry is clearly willing to gamble with the health of the oceans, so we want to make it clear that these mining companies are high risk gamblers that should not be trusted with neither the health of our ocean, nor their investors money”, said Haldis Tjeldflaat Helle, Campaigner, Greenpeace Nordic
Activists were protesting inside the conference by blocking the entrance of the meeting room, while another group of activists released balloon banners and took the stage inside the meeting room. The conference was then interrupted and evacuated, and police came to remove the activists from the building.
“The deep sea miners’ increasingly desperate moves, such as pleading for help from president Trump, or begging for support from the Norwegian government, reveals the true future of deep sea mining: there is none” said Haldis Tjeldflaat Helle.
The Metals Company recently announced that they will try to bypass the United Nations process and get Trump’s support to approve their mining application in the Pacific.
“Countries like Norway, who are paving the way for this reckless industry, must take a hard look in the mirror and consider if they really want to be on the side of those gambling with our future”, said Haldis Tjeldflaat Helle
After last year’s loud protests the planned licenses for deep sea mining in the Arctic were stopped in December, and no licenses will be handed out in Norway in 2025. But the mining industry has since continued to search for risk-taking investors and are lobbying the Norwegian government to weaken any future regulations, hand out research grants and create special tax benefits for the industry.
With participants from the Norwegian mining companies Loke, Adepth and Green Minerals, the Norwegian Ministry of Energy, as well as legal advisors and partners to The Metals Company, many of the deep sea mining industry players were gathered in Bergen for the lobby conference Deep sea minerals 2025.
A survey by the Norwegian government asked the mining companies about the barriers for them to start mining operations. The response from the companies highlight the controversy: “Parts of society worry that the opening will lead to major environmental consequences. (…) the industry experiences a lack of social acceptance for its work and a need for a ‘license to operate’.
There are clear voices against commercial mining from over 900 scientists, tech companies, environmental organizations and politicians. Over 30 countries, including Canada, Germany, France, Mexico and the UK, have called for a moratorium, pause or ban on deep-sea mining. What’s more, 60 companies including several leading car manufacturers and 15 financial institutions, such as Google, Samsung, BMW, Volkswagen, along with major International Organizations, fishing interests, battery manufacturers, indigenous groups, and thousands of climate and youth activists have also come out against the industry.
Scientists have warned that the slow development of the ecosystems in the Arctic deep sea and the Pacific will face irreparable damage if mining is permitted to start. Deep sea mining is therefore a huge gamble with life in the oceans and will pose an enormous danger to vulnerable ecosystems and species in the deep sea.
Photos and video for press available here
Contacts:
Daniel Bengtsson, Head of Communication, Greenpeace Nordic: [email protected], +46 70 300 95 10
Haldis Tjeldflaat Helle, Campaigner, Greenpeace in Norway:[email protected] + 47 934 73 213
