Prohibit Canadian deep-sea mining
Petitioners ask the Government of Canada to prohibit Canadian entities from mining or claiming mineral rights in the Area and to urge the International Seabed Authority to adopt a legally binding moratorium on deep-sea mining.
Why we would sign this petition
- It would block Canadian entities from undertaking unilateral deep‑sea mining in the Area, helping protect marine ecosystems petitioners say are essential.
- It would align Canada with its 2023 support for a moratorium and with UNCLOS obligations, reinforcing international legal consistency.
- Securing a legally binding moratorium at the ISA would close regulatory gaps petitioners cite and reduce the chance companies circumvent international oversight.
Why we wouldn’t sign this petition
- An outright moratorium could foreclose potential economic or strategic access to critical minerals that some argue are needed for green technologies.
- If other states or firms pursue extraction under different laws, Canada alone cannot easily prevent activity, creating enforcement and competitiveness challenges.
- A total ban may hinder regulated, lower‑impact alternatives or phased research and monitoring that could clarify environmental and economic tradeoffs.
The summary and both sets of reasons are AI-generated from the petition and given equal weight. Claims are the petitioners’ own; consult the official record for the full text.
Official petition
Petition to the Government of Canada The deep seabeds play an essential role in the health of marine species and ecosystems; The International Seabed Authority (ISA) is responsible for protecting international seabeds (the Area); ISA is discussing adopting rushed and inadequate regulations on mining of the deep seabed in the Area; The Metals Company, a Canadian corporation, holds exploration contracts with ISA for the Clarion-Clipperton Zone in the Pacific Ocean; The Metals Company bypassed ISA by filing an application to mine these deep seabeds under American jurisdiction pursuant to the DSHMRA; If mining were to begin in the Area under the DSHMRA, it would amount to a violation of international law under UNCLOS; In 2023, Canada announced its support for a moratorium on deep sea mining in international waters; Consistent with its international commitments, Canada has a duty to protect the Area; and Deep sea mining is considered an unwise and uneconomic activity that is incompatible with a sustainable future. We, the undersigned, Oceans North, MiningWatch Canada and Greenpeace Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to: 1. Ensure that no Canadian person or corporation undertakes unilateral mining operations in the Area or claims, acquires or exercises rights to the minerals that would be recovered there, pursuant to articles 137 to 139 of UNCLOS; and 2. Have ISA pass a moratorium on deep sea mining as a legally binding measure prohibiting all mining in the Area, pursuant to article 145 of UNCLOS.
Government response
No government response is available yet.