Abstract
Deep-sea mining (DSM) may become a significant stressor on the marine environment. The DSM industry should demonstrate transparently its commitment to preventing serious harm to the environment by complying with legal requirements, using environmental good practice, and minimizing environmental impacts. Here existing environmental management approaches relevant to DSM that can be used to improve performance are identified and detailed. DSM is still predominantly in the planning stage and will face some unique challenges but there is considerable environmental management experience in existing related industries. International good practice has been suggested for DSM by bodies such as the Pacific Community and the International Marine Minerals Society. The inherent uncertainty in DSM presents challenges, but it can be addressed by collection of environmental information, area-based/spatial management, the precautionary approach and adaptive management. Tools exist for regional and strategic management, which have already begun to be introduced by the International Seabed Authority, for example in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone. Project specific environmental management, through environmental impact assessment, baseline assessment, monitoring, mitigation and environmental management planning, will be critical to identify and reduce potential impacts. In addition, extractive companies’ internal management may be optimised to improve performance by emphasising sustainability at a high level in the company, improving transparency and reporting and introducing environmental management systems. The DSM industry and its regulators have the potential to select and optimize recognised and documented effective practices and adapt them, greatly improving the environmental performance of this new industry.
Highlights
National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, IMAR Department of Oceanography and Fisheries, Horta, Açores, Portugal
Perceptions about the likely environmental impacts of deep-sea mining have been based on this sensitivity and concern over previous impacts caused by allied industries, such as terrestrial mining and offshore oil and gas operations [4]
This demand for social license is coupled with the overarching legal requirements of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which sets forth the environmental aim of ensuring effective protection from harmful effects of seabed mining, plus a legal obligation to avoid serious harm [7]
Summary
Regulations and binding recommendations include: 1) increased efficiency in the use of resources, 2) greater corporate awareness, 3) lower risks that investments in environmental practices will be unprofitable, 4) greater innovation, and 5) a levelling of the playing field between operators [10]. An EMP is a project-specific plan developed to ensure that all necessary measures are identified and implemented in order to ensure effective protection of the marine environment, monitor the impacts of a project and to comply with ISA environmental rules, regulations and procedures as well as relevant national legislation [85, 86]. Such plans should clearly detail how environmental management and monitoring activities will be accomplished through the elaboration of specific objectives, components and activities, inputs (human, physical, financial) and outputs [85, 87]. As the industry develops and becomes larger, potentially with companies managing multiple projects across the world, environmental management may become more difficult
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