VICTORIA, Seychelles, February 3 (IPS) – The world is getting into a decisive interval for the way forward for the ocean. With the Excessive Seas Treaty coming into power and significant progress being made on the World Commerce Group Settlement on Fisheries Subsidies, international momentum for stronger marine governance is constructing. But, new pressures linked to the push for deep-sea mining — the extraction of minerals from seabed 1000’s of meters under the ocean floor — threaten to undermine these positive factors. To safeguard progress, international decision-making must hold tempo with such rising dangers. On this context, Africa will host a number of international discussions in 2026, together with these that may form the ocean’s future, with a sequence of alternatives for management beginning with the African Union Summit in February to the Our Ocean Convention in Mombasa, Kenya in June.
As two long-standing associates of the ocean who’ve witnessed each its fragility and its generosity, we view the continuing discussions on deep-sea mining as a second that requires cautious, science-based and inclusive reflection. That is very true in a area of the world the place individuals rely on a wholesome ocean for livelihoods, tradition, spirituality and local weather resilience, and the place greater than 30 per cent of Africans, roughly 200 million individuals, depend on fish as their major supply of animal protein.
These issues are significantly related to the Western Indian Ocean (WIO), probably the most biodiverse marine areas on the earth, with endemism as excessive as 22 per cent but on the convergence of a number of environmental stresses. Coral reefs and mangrove forests are deteriorating, whereas unlawful, unreported and unregulated fishing, and sand mining put extra strain on already fragile ecosystems. The lasting impacts of the 2020 Wakashio oil spill in Mauritius present how rapidly hurt to the ocean can ripple throughout communities. In such a fragile setting, the introduction of a brand new extractive trade calls for the best degree of scrutiny.
Within the face of those rising challenges, Seychelles has an essential function to play. For many years, it has demonstrated management in championing the blue financial system and defending marine ecosystems. Early ratification of the BBNJ Treaty, together with advocacy for Excessive Seas marine protected areas such because the Saya de Malha Financial institution, has positioned the nation as a revered voice for accountable ocean governance. If deep-sea mining begins within the Pacific, the Indian Ocean is prone to observe, together with on the mid-Indian Ridge east of Seychelles’ EEZ and inside the Southern Indian Ocean Fisheries settlement area. Catalyzing a brand new wave of continental management on deep-sea safety would advance a imaginative and prescient of ocean stewardship grounded in fairness and sustainability. A precautionary pause on deep-sea mining would give concrete expression to that imaginative and prescient.
Scientific analysis continues to underline this want for warning. Deep-sea mining would have an irreversible affect on seabed ecosystems and species. And up to date research of the midwater zone, the place waste plumes from deep-sea mining would unfold, present that mining particles may cut back the dietary high quality of the pure meals provide for zooplankton by as much as ten instances. This may lower meals high quality and set off results that transfer via the meals internet, in the end affecting bigger species and the general well being of the ocean thousands and thousands of individuals depend on. In an atmosphere the place greater than 99.99 p.c of the deep ocean ground has but to be explored or straight noticed, introducing giant scale industrial exercise may trigger injury that can not be undone.
The financial dangers for the area are equally important. The Western Indian Ocean’s pure belongings have been conservatively valued at 333.8 billion {dollars}, making the ocean one of many area’s most essential sources of long-term wealth. Inside this, fisheries signify the only largest asset and a cornerstone of financial resilience. The area generates about 4.8 p.c of the worldwide fish catch, roughly 4.5 million tonnes every year, underscoring what number of economies and communities rely on wholesome shares. In Seychelles and throughout the area, tuna fisheries particularly underpin nationwide income, employment and meals safety. Undermining the sustainability of fisheries may due to this fact not solely threaten livelihoods but in addition diminish long-term financial alternative.
The accelerating push for deep-sea mining actions additionally raises issues about repeating historic patterns seen in different extractive sectors throughout Africa. The uneven distribution of advantages from land-based useful resource exploitation has proven how simply native communities could be left with environmental impacts whereas exterior actors seize a lot of the worth. With out sturdy governance frameworks that guarantee truthful participation and clear decision-making, present deep-sea mining fashions threat following an identical trajectory, privileging short-term financial acquire for multinational companies over regional priorities.
Lastly, the argument that deep-sea mining is important for the renewable vitality transition can also be more and more at odds with present proof. Speedy advances in recycling applied sciences, round financial system approaches, and various supplies are already decreasing the projected demand for minerals from new extractions. These pathways can help the worldwide transition with out the necessity to industrialize one of many least understood components of the planet. The United Nations Surroundings Programme has additionally made clear of their 2022 report that “there may be at present no foreseeable manner by which funding into deep-sea mining actions could be considered as in line with the Sustainable Blue Financial system Finance Ideas”.
In parallel, African-led nature-positive initiatives are demonstrating how ocean sources could be managed in ways in which help each individuals and the atmosphere. Initiatives such because the Nice Blue Wall purpose to create linked networks of protected and restored marine areas that strengthen biodiversity, local weather resilience and neighborhood wellbeing throughout the WIO area. These efforts exhibit what a regenerative blue financial system can appear to be in observe. Preserving these positive factors requires guaranteeing that new actions don’t compromise the progress already made.
Throughout the continent, younger leaders, civil society and scientific establishments are calling for better accountability in choices that form our collective future. Their message is evident: long-term wellbeing for everybody should come earlier than short-term positive factors for a choose few. This name additionally echoes a rising motion worldwide, with greater than 40 nations now supporting a pause on deep-sea mining, together with France, Fiji, Chile and Mexico. A precautionary pause on deep-sea mining shouldn’t be a rejection of financial progress, however a dedication to sound science, inclusive dialogue and accountable stewardship. We’re hopeful that nations in Africa and elsewhere on the earth will hear this name and safe the way forward for the ocean for generations to come back.
James Alix Michel is the previous President of Seychelles (2004–2016) and a world advocate for the blue financial system, ocean conservation and local weather resilience.
Dona Bertarelli is a Swiss philanthropist, IUCN Patron of Nature and biodiversity champion, deeply dedicated to a wholesome stability between individuals and nature.
IPS UN Bureau
© Inter Press Service (20260203190401) — All Rights Reserved. Unique supply: Inter Press Service
