WWF calls for a global moratorium on deep seabed mining to protect ocean biodiversity and climate stability

Posted on 17 March 2025

WWF Mediterranean calls on all Mediterranean countries that have not yet done so to take positions against deep-sea mining in international waters

17 March 2025 - Ahead of the 30th session of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) March Council meeting, WWF is urging governments to pause deep seabed mining due to its severe risks to marine biodiversity, climate regulation, and sustainable development. A new WWF report highlights how deep seabed mining would undermine global commitments under the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The WWF report, Analysis of the Implications of Deep Seabed Mining for the Global Biodiversity Framework and the Sustainable Development Agenda, warns that deep seabed mining would:

Destroy deep-sea habitats and drive biodiversity loss (GBF Targets 1-4, 7, 9, 11; SDGs 14, 15).
Disrupt fisheries, harming food security and coastal economies (GBF Targets 7, 9, 10; SDG 2).
Undermine the ocean’s role as the largest carbon sink, worsening climate change (GBF Target 8; SDGs 7, 11, 13, 14).
Exacerbate social and economic inequalities by benefiting corporations while leaving coastal communities at risk (GBF Targets 9, 14, 15, 20, 21; SDGs 1, 8, 10, 16).
Threaten indigenous peoples’ rights and inclusive sustainable development (GBF Targets 1, 3, 4, 21, 22; SDG 16).

WWF is calling for a science-based moratorium on deep seabed mining at the International Seabed Authority (ISA), urging governments to uphold the precautionary principle and prevent irreversible damage to the deep ocean. The lack of transparency in regulatory frameworks, coupled with limited scientific knowledge of deep-sea ecosystems, makes proceeding with deep seabed mining a reckless gamble.

Jessica Battle, WWF Lead, No Deep Seabed Mining Initiative, said: “The deep sea is one of the last untouched ecosystems on Earth, playing a crucial role in regulating our climate and supporting marine life. We cannot afford to sacrifice it for short-term commercial interests. Deep seabed mining must not go ahead until the environmental, social and economic risks are understood, all alternatives to deep-sea minerals have been explored and it is proven that deep seabed mining can be managed in a way that protects the marine environment and prevents biodiversity loss and climate impacts, habitat degradation and species extinctions. Until then, a global moratorium on deep seabed mining is needed".

WWF Mediterranean has repeatedly expressed its concern about deep seabed mining. The Mediterranean Sea, while relatively enclosed, is a diverse and vulnerable ecosystem. Any deep-sea mining activities within or near the Mediterranean could have significant impacts on its marine life. Disturbing the seabed could impact delicate marine life and disrupt vital food chains. The Mediterranean's biodiversity, already under pressure from climate change and pollution, would face further devastation.

"WWF Mediterranean calls on all Mediterranean countries that have not yet done so to take positions against deep-sea mining in international waters, as well as on regional frameworks such as the Barcelona Convention and its Protocols to propose updates to incorporate specific provisions that directly address the environmental risks associated with seabed mining" stated Alessio Satta WWF Mediterranean CEO.

Governments have pledged to safeguard biodiversity and sustainable development. Moving forward with deep seabed mining would directly contradict these commitments and threaten the health of the ocean, which sustains billions of people worldwide.