Context
The International Seabed Authority (ISA), is working on a set of rules in order to regulate the extraction of raw materials from the ocean surface.
About
- The ISA needs to outline a hard and fast of legally binding regulations to control deep-sea mining by 2025.
- Without these rules, any planned mining operation will not be able to get started..
- 32 nations of ISA are in favor of postponing deep-sea mining outright, a stance supported via environmental corporations and plenty of marine scientists.
- China, at the side of Norway, Japan, and Nauru have pushed for a quick agreement in order that mining companies can begin setting their plans into action.
What is deep-sea mining ?
- Deep-sea mining involves hoovering poly-metallic nodules off the sea surface and piping them as much as vessels on the water’s surface.
- Polymetallic nodules are lumps of iron, manganese hydroxides, and rock in part submerged in lots of parts of the ocean surface. These nodules incorporate copper, lithium and different treasured elements.
- If their concentration exceeds 10 kg per sq. M, mining them is considered to be economically feasible.
How could deep-sea mining harm marine ecosystems?
- Disruption of Habitats: Mining robots would physically break the ocean ground, disposing of habitats for over 5,000 different species, lots of which are not well-researched.
- These ecosystems are extraordinarily fragile, with species incredibly tailored to precise conditions. The destruction of their habitat ought to lead to a lack of biodiversity.
- Sediment Plumes: The operations could create huge clouds of sediment that will smother marine organisms, disrupt feeding, and reduce water quality.
- Oxygen Production: A study indicated that minerals in manganese nodules can produce oxygen via electrolysis inside the absence of sunlight. Destroying these nodules may want to disrupt this oxygen manufacturing, affecting the broader marine environment.
- Technical Challenges: The generation for deep-sea mining isn’t fully developed, and the extreme water pressure at these depths makes it tough to repair robots and different systems.
- Ethical Considerations: A growing wide variety of most important businesses, consisting of SAP, BMW, Volkswagen, Google and Samsung SDI have pledged not to apply any raw materials recovered from the sea surface, and said they could not help mining activities.
Way Ahead
- Deep-sea mining could have profound and irreversible impacts on marine ecosystems.
- The destruction of fragile habitats, direct damage to marine existence, disruption of ecological approaches, and potential economic and operational challenges spotlight the need for cautious and well-knowledgeable decision-making earlier than proceeding with such activities.
Source: The Hindu
UPSC Mains Practice Question
Q. Critically evaluate the various resources of the oceans which can be harnessed to meet the resource crisis in the world. (2014)