WWF Takes Legal Action Against Norway Over Deep Seabed Mining

Environmental campaign group WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature) is taking legal action against Norway for its decision to open up parts of its continental shelf to deep seabed mining. WWF-Norway believes that the government’s approval of seabed mining violates the country’s Subsea Minerals Act due to a lack of satisfactory impact assessment. The CEO of WWF-Norway, Karoline Andaur, stated that allowing the government to ignore its own rules and manage natural resources blindly sets a dangerous precedent.

Despite WWF’s notice of lawsuit in April, the government has dismissed it as lacking merit, claiming that a thorough process was followed with broad involvement. Norway’s decision to open up areas of its continental shelf to mining in January has sparked criticism from environmental campaigners who argue that there is limited understanding of deep sea ecosystems and a lack of a robust regulatory regime.

In response to the controversy, around 25 countries, including Canada, Sweden, UK, Fiji, and Mexico, have called for a moratorium or precautionary pause on seabed mining until the environmental and economic risks are fully understood. This global pushback highlights the growing concerns over the potential impacts of deep seabed mining on marine ecosystems.

Source .