On Tuesday, the Norwegian parliament passed a law allowing the controversial practice of mining from the seabed: considered by many to be fundamental to acquiring minerals increasingly needed by global industries for the energy transition, such as lithium, scandium and cobalt . At the same time, it is also heavily criticized because it has a huge impact on the environment and could lead to the destruction of a large part of the seabed on which it is produced. No country has ever practiced this type of mining on a commercial scale, and with the new law Norway aims to become the first country to do so.
The law currently allows mining on the Norwegian seabed, but it appears that Norway is trying to get permission to mine in international waters as well. In any case, the Norwegian government will not allow mining to begin immediately: companies wishing to do so must submit proposals to obtain a license, which also include a series of environmental impact assessments, and Parliament will consider whether to do so in a particular case be approved – on a case by case basis.
– Also read: We will dredge the oceans