Portugal took a stand on Friday as part of meetings of the Council and Assembly of the International Seabed Authority (ISA), where member countries debated whether or not to give the green light to controversial deepsea mining.
Speaking to the Lusa Agency, the Minister of Economy and the Sea noted that “the Portuguese delegation has expressed the position that there must be no mining activities in the deep sea”.
“We have to take a precautionary pause and I think that several countries around the world are following us and that is why we are calling for the clarification of the regulatory framework and above all the development of greater activities in the field of scientific research, scientific knowledge, foresee all the gaps, close all existing gaps,” said António Costa e Silva.
Portugal’s position has already been praised by several environmental organizations, notably Associação Natureza Portugal (ANP), which works with WWF, the largest independent global organization for nature conservation, by Sciaena and by SOA, which “congratulates”.[ra]the Portuguese government”, such as the Oceano Azul Foundation.
The minister explained that negotiations at the ISA, an intergovernmental organization established by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea in 1982, aimed to define a regulatory framework that would regulate all possible encroachments on the oceans.
António Costa e Silva stated that “Portugal is extremely concerned about what could happen” and that the country remains faithful to all the commitments made to defend the marine environment and the sustainable use of resources “in accordance with the principle of precaution and within the framework of the international law”.
“What is happening is that last Thursday at the meeting that is being held in Kingston, Jamaica, no agreement was reached and there are already countries, some Pacific countries, like the Republic of Nauru, that have triggered a United Nations determination.” “The Convention on International Law, which provides for the possibility of mining activity without regulation if there is no agreement, is why we reacted immediately,” he said, formulating Portugal’s position.
António Costa e Silva said that this precautionary pause prevents any activity on the seabed, “especially activities that are not regulated and do not meet international standards”.
According to the minister, the next step is to continue negotiations on a “clear agreement” that will not only allow for the defense of the oceans, but also pave the way for more knowledge, noting that Portugal “harmonizes bilateral and multilateral” will positions until there is a solution.
António Costa e Silva stressed that until now, countries have generally had a “blind relationship with the ocean” without having any scientific evidence as a basis.
“We cannot allow, in a time like ours, that there are again blind interventions in the ocean, without any scientific basis and without knowledge,” he defended.
The official said he believed Portugal’s position was supported “by most countries”.
“For us, the ocean is a stabilizer of the planet’s climate, it is an extraordinary asset that the planet possesses and we must use it sustainably and, above all, defend it,” he added.
Meetings of the International Seabed Authority began on Monday 10th and will last until July 28th.
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