Implications of deep‐seabed mining on marine ecosystems—Introduction to a special series of papers

Abstract

After more than 50 years of exploration and research that has intensified over the past decade, deep-seabed mining (DSM) remains a controversial subject, resulting mainly from legacy issues of other extractive industries. Moreover, our planet is environmentally challenged, with climate change as one of the major issues that we collectively face. Deep-seabed mining aims to collect metal resources lying on the deep seabed to help meet increased global demand caused by growth in population and urbanization, and clean energy, in a way that reduces pressures on land, such as deforestation and community relocation. The metals found on the seabed are those needed to address climate change through clean energy technologies. An important question facing us is: How do we, most responsibly, obtain the metals we need with the least impact on the planet we are trying to protect? DSM is one of the options to meet the demand. In this IEAM special series, we set out to present neutral and unbiased perspectives on the environmental implications of DSM. Our aim is to offer readers environmental management considerations learned by researchers around the world and working in diverse aspects of the field, including: population and community assessment, biota ecosystem services, environmental ethics, and rehabilitation and restoration. In consideration of the controversies, fundamental questions still remain: How can a new industry be given the opportunity to "do the right thing"? How do we make evidence-based decisions about where metals should come from when emotions and possibly fear often seem to drive the debate? Can we assume that decisions and policies are best achieved based on data and evidence? The papers presented in the series help address these questions and cover a range of diverse topics from ethical frameworks to biodiversity assessment to risk assessment to restoration. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2022;18:631-633. © 2021 SETAC.