Seabed Mining Rule-Making Likely to Slow Under New Leadership

International negotiations to establish rules for seabed mining are expected to decelerate with the election of a new leader for the International Seabed Authority (ISA). Leticia Carvalho, a Brazilian oceanographer, was recently elected as the new Secretary-General of the ISA, a United Nations agency responsible for regulating the extraction of minerals from the deep seabed. Carvalho will assume her role in January, succeeding British lawyer Michael Lodge, who had been at the helm since 2016.

The ISA has been embroiled in lengthy discussions among 168 countries about setting up a regulatory framework for extracting metals like cobalt, nickel, rare earth, and copper from the deep seabed, areas beyond any national jurisdiction. These negotiations have become increasingly contentious, with some governments and environmental groups raising concerns about the potential environmental damage and acceleration of climate change that deep-sea mining could cause.

Carvalho's election signals a shift in approach. Unlike her predecessor, who was eager to push forward with mining agreements, Carvalho has been described as more conservative and cautious. According to a Caribbean delegate, this change in leadership is expected to slow down the movement towards exploration and extraction. A European delegate echoed this sentiment, noting that Carvalho’s stance could mean more time will be spent on preparatory work before any mining licenses are issued.

Under Lodge’s leadership, the ISA had been working toward a mining code that would govern mineral extraction in international waters. However, Carvalho has emphasized the need for comprehensive regulations to be in place before any mining begins. These regulations would include measures to monitor the environmental impact and determine how the benefits from extracted metals would be distributed.

The ISA has already granted 31 exploration contracts for areas in the equatorial Pacific but has not yet authorized any actual mineral recovery. As discussions continue, the pace at which seabed mining progresses will likely slow down under Carvalho’s cautious leadership.