The fourth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-4), held this week in Canada, will discuss the draft terms of the Global Plastics Treaty, which the United Nations committed to deliver by the end of 2024.

Greenpeace is calling for the treaty to set a legally-binding target to reduce plastic production by at least 75% by 2040, followed by significant reductions in production year-on-year and eventually phase out plastic production entirely.

Greenpeace Australia Pacific Senior Oceans Campaigner Violette Snow said the Australian government must champion strong targets and focus on reducing plastic production.

“The INC-4 is a crucial meeting that could determine the role toxic plastic will play in the future of our planet, the health of our children and the stability of our climate. The clock is ticking. The Global Plastics Treaty is a once-in-a-generation opportunity – it can’t go to waste,” she said.

“Australia must stem the tide of plastic, starting with a strong, legally binding target to reduce plastic at its source. Australia can be a global leader by championing ambitious targets at the UN, and not bowing to petrostates trying to water down the treaty terms.”

Greenpeace is calling for the Global Plastics Treaty to end plastic pollution – from production to disposal – and to end single-use plastics to protect the environment and human health. 

“Australians know that life in plastic isn’t fantastic. Plastic pollution floods our planet, destroys biodiversity, kills our wildlife and worsens the climate crisis across the entire life of plastic – from extraction, production, packaging, distribution, incineration and dumping. The deadly cycle brought by runaway plastic production and use needs to stop for good, and a strong treaty will see to that,” Snow said.

“As part of the High Ambition Coalition to End Plastic Pollution, the Australian government must walk the talk and model high ambitions. We need more focus on rapidly phasing down plastic production, and less focus on band-aid solutions. While there is a place for recycling in a circular economy, we can’t rely on recycling our way out of the plastics crisis.”

—ENDS—

Notes: 

Photos can be found here

A media briefing of the INC-4 is attached here

Audio grabs from Violette Snow can be found here

For more information or to arrange an interview please contact Kimberley Bernard on +61 407 581 404 or kbernard@greenpeace.org

The International Seabed Authority (ISA) could today expel Greenpeace from the UN deep sea mining body’s meeting, a move that would fundamentally undermine the right to peaceful protest.

The ISA will be discussing Greenpeace’s 200-hour peaceful protest against NORI/The Metals Company, which saw activists kayak around industry vessel MV COCO over 14 days in November and December. In response, the ISA Secretary-General, Michael Lodge, argued that Greenpeace’s kayakers posed “a threat of serious harm to the marine environment”, while the vessel collected samples and data for mining permits.

The action and the ISA response has been included in the Provisional Agenda, scheduled to be discussed on Friday 22 March local time. 

Greenpeace Australia Pacific CEO David Ritter said any move to strip Greenpeace of its observer status as a result of the action would be “an attempt to stifle the right to peaceful protest.”

“The deep sea mining industry, which wants to plunder delicate and precious seafloors for profit, is now calling to question the fundamental human right of peaceful protest. Peaceful protest is essential for ordinary people and civil society to voice their concerns,” Ritter said.

“That the International Seabed Authority would go out of its way to add Greenpeace’s action to its agenda, to spend time debating ways to undermine the right to peaceful protest, while the industry pushes ahead to destroy and decimate our seafloor, shows where the priorities of the industry lies: in protecting its own greedy interests and profits.

“People will be watching the outcome closely, as our right to protect and defend our oceans and the livelihoods it sustains hangs in the balance.” 

The 29th session of the ISA started this week in Kingston, Jamaica, with representatives from 167 nations, including Australia and some Pacific Island nations. The meeting is a critical moment for the future of the oceans as deep sea mining companies press governments to agree on a mining code that would legitimise this destructive practice. The meeting will enter its second week on Monday.

—ENDS—

Notes to editor: 

The Metals Company CEO is Australian Gerard Barron.

Two Greenpeace Australia Pacific staff took part in the action, a kayaker and a digital campaigner.

Images for media use can be found here.

For more information or to arrange an interview please contact Kimberley Bernard on +61 407 581 404 or kbernard@greenpeace.org

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority has today officially confirmed that the World Heritage-listed wonder is undergoing a seventh mass coral bleaching event — the fifth in just eight years.

The confirmation is a dire warning about the future of Australia’s marine icon. In a video statement, Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek has said that the Australian government is doing everything they can to, “give our beautiful reef the best chance of survival,” however Australia is the third largest fossil fuel exporter in the world and a major contributor to the climate crisis.

Greenpeace Australia Pacific CEO, David Ritter, said that while the news was expected, the official confirmation of a seventh mass bleaching event is a devastating blow.

“Just three weeks ago I was snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef off Cairns. It was beautiful, but we witnessed the beginning stages of this event unfolding, with patchy coral bleaching at both sites we visited. 

“We know that the climate crisis is driving deadly marine heatwaves and devastating our marine ecosystems, but the frequency and scale at which these mass bleaching events are now occurring is frightening — every summer we’re holding our breath.

“Last year the Great Barrier Reef narrowly avoided an ‘In Danger’ listing, with the Australian government promising to do everything it can to protect the Reef. This has to include addressing climate change as an existential threat to the reef, and ensuring our emissions reductions plans are aligned with a 1.5 degree pathway. 

“Claims that Australia is taking the health of the Great Barrier Reef seriously ring hollow when we continue to expand and subsidise the coal and gas industry to the tune of billions every year. The Australian government can not in good faith approve climate bombs like Woodside’s Burrup Hub and say that they care about the Reef’s future.”

Conjure an image of the deep sea, and you may as well imagine the moon. Few images exist, and scientific exploration of the deep sea is only in its infancy. We may not yet fully understand the environmental workings of either place, but we know that they are part of a delicate balance of biological systems that support our planet. The deep sea holds mysteries for science and connects populations around the world in common heritage.

Discover the Treasures of Biodiversity

At 4,000 meters under the sea, life gets wonderfully weird. The majority of species are undocumented, and the seascapes unmapped. What we do know is that the ecosystems found at the bottom of the sea are delicate and unique. From distinct microbial communities to sea cucumbers, urchins, and starfish, an astounding array of biological diversity lives directly on the sediment of the deep seabed. 

Far from the barren desert-like landscape it was once thought, the deep seafloor teems with life—albeit much different from what we know on land. It’s estimated that 2 million marine species are still unidentified, and many of these are thought to inhabit the deep sea. The adaptations animals have undergone to survive at these depths mean they are unlikely to be resilient to disturbances.

The Threat of Deep Sea Mining

Where mining goes, death follows. From sediment plumes to ecosystem disturbance, deep sea mining is a disaster waiting to happen. Deep sea mining would risk marine life, ecosystem balance, and human lives and livelihoods for an unnecessary endeavor.

A Closer Look at Deep Sea Mining Operations

Impact on Pacific Island Communities

On land, Pacific Island communities’ livelihoods and food security are at risk due to disturbances of mining operations taking place in the Pacific ocean.

Operations at the Surface

The surface transport ships and mining ships would hover at the surface ready to unload and process vast quantities of sediment, retaining polymetallic nodules and pumping the waste back into the ocean.

200m Deep: The Deep Sea Zone

The ocean is classified as “deep sea” at 200 meters, where light from the surface is mostly obscured.

1,000m Deep: Risks to Marine Life

Animals including turtles and whales are known to make extended deep dives to 1,000 meters below the surface and deeper. Such species could be exposed to discharged mining waste as well as vibrations and noises that will interfere with sonar communication and could split whales from their calves or even fracture entire pods.

1,000-3,000m Deep: Environmental Uncertainties

Sediment piped from the surface would be discharged in the deep sea zone. Data from mining companies is vague because even they don’t know how far they will need to pipe the sediment or how far it may travel once returned to the ocean.

4,000m Deep: Deep Sea Mining Machinery

At the seafloor, machinery similar to giant vacuums will scrape and pump up the sea bed, searching for polymetallic nodules. Impacts to species like ghost octopus and deep sea anglerfish that live on the seafloor are impossible to know, as these nodules have taken millions of years to form and have become highly specialized habitats.

The seafloor is the world’s largest sediment carbon sink. Disturbing the deep sea bed has the potential for significant, long-term impacts on carbon cycling and storage.

Deep Sea Mining threatens our most unique ecosystems. You can help stop it before it starts. Tell the Australian government to take a strong stand against deep sea mining now.

The Southern Ocean, the waters which encircle Antarctica, is a critical area for climate regulation and marine biodiversity – but currently less than  5% of it is fully protected.

It’s puzzling, especially when there exists a Commission that was established with the specific intent to protect Antarctic marine life. The Antarctic Ocean Commission (CCAMLR) was established in 1982 by an international convention, in response to krill populations being decimated as a result of overfishing. Krill are integral to maintaining the Antarctic ecosystem, and also play a vital role in locking away carbon in the deep sea.

The Commission meets on an annual basis in Hobart, Tasmania to review and develop Antarctic conservation measures. It was responsible for creating the world’s largest marine protected area (MPA), in the Ross Sea region in 2016. Covering 2.09 million square kilometres the MPA protects biodiversity and vulnerable marine ecosystems.

But for the last six years no new MPAs have been created, which begs the question: why? To answer this you have to understand how the decision making process within the Commission works. The body consists of 27 members and 10 other countries that have accepted the convention.

When a proposal is tabled it can only be adopted if all members agree. If some members veto the proposal it cannot be adopted. In simple terms, even if the majority of countries recognise the need for ocean sanctuaries, a minority can derail the whole process.

This was what happened during last year’s meeting when the Commission failed to reach consensus on creating three large MPAs for the Antarctic Peninsula, East Antarctica and the Weddell Sea, despite support from an overwhelming majority of governments.

Apart from this inefficient, consensus-based decision making process, governments who prioritise fisheries over safeguarding our oceans have  resulted in the CCAMLR consistently failing to provide Antarctic waters with a network of protected areas it so desperately needs.

Every day ocean threats are mounting. Climate breakdown has resulted in the Antarctic sea ice likely hitting a low winter maximum, while overfishing and pollution are slowly tearing away at our oceans life-sustaining fabric.

The Commission has the power and authority to support proposals for marine protected areas that have already been tabled to protect four million square kilometres of ocean now.

The next CCAMLR meeting is taking place in October 2023. Will the Commission deliver on its commitments and take the first steps towards protecting at least 30% of our oceans by 2030? Or will they once again allow one or two governments to block urgent ocean protection in favour of self-interest?

Unlike the CCAMLR’s failed efforts, the Global Oceans Treaty is a tool that can make ocean protection a reality. We urgently need to ratify this Treaty for 30% of our oceans to be protected by 2030. To do this, at least 60 governments need to sign on.

Sign our petition now to ask the Australian government to urgently ratify the Global Oceans Treaty, and start protecting our oceans!

Imagine the impact of being able to go back in time to stop offshore drilling at the dawn of the oil age. Today’s climate catastrophes wouldn’t exist! Unfortunately, we cannot go back in time to fix our mistakes, but we can certainly learn from them as we go forward. And the next opportunity for our redemption is to stop deep sea mining.

On the 3rd June this year, Greenpeace volunteers from around the world took part in a Global Day of Action for World Oceans Day, calling on governments to vote against Deep Sea Mining at the International Seabed Authority’s July 2023 meeting in Kingston, Jamaica. Eye-catching neon lights, inflatable sea creatures, and human banners were just some of the creative tactics used to draw attention to this issue.

“If deep sea mining begins in the Pacific Ocean, it could have devastating impacts on millions of people living in the Pacific region. It poses serious threats to their livelihoods and spiritual connection to the ocean by impacting fish populations and sacred ecosystems.” said Rima Sonigara, one of our digital campaigners.

We need the Australian government to show leadership and set an example for other governments on this issue, by calling for a global ban on deep sea mining. We cannot let governments give the green light to greedy, immoral mining companies to destroy the ocean floor for profit. There is far too much at stake for our planet and communities. You can help by signing this petition to get the government to take a strong stand against deep sea mining now.

With many of the ocean’s deepest canyons still remaining a mystery to humankind, we don’t even know the full breadth of the lifeforms that could be destroyed if deep sea mining is given the go ahead, but together, we can stop it from ever happening.

Follow Greenpeace Australia Pacific’s Climate Justice Ship Tour

“The deep sea mining industry was getting ready to plunge its mechanical teeth into the ocean floor, but their bet backfired as they have seriously underestimated the importance of science and equity over a merely speculative and profit-driven venture. The cracks are appearing in what has to date been a fortress for industry interests as a result of increasing public awareness and mobilisation. It’s clear that most governments do not want their legacy to be green lighting ocean destruction”, said Greenpeace International Oceans campaigner Louisa Casson.

The decisions adopted by the ISA Council on 21 July effectively mean that a majority of countries — including Brazil, Costa Rica, Chile, Vanuatu, Germany and Switzerland — did not yield to pressure from the industry — supported by nations such as Norway and Mexico — to fast-track rules for deep sea mining. Industry frontrunner The Metals Company saw its share price plummet as markets reacted to the news.[1]  However, the ISA still failed to close a legal loophole for companies to start mining next year. 

At the ISA Assembly this week, pro-mining nations reacted by attempting to silence the growing resistance to deep sea mining in the very place it’s up for negotiation: As of Friday morning, China is still opposing a proposal from Latin American, Pacific and European governments to make space for debate. Such attempts at restricting opposition to deep sea mining went beyond the negotiating table, as the ISA Secretariat, frequently accused of being too close to the industry, restricted journalists and clamped down on peaceful protest during the meetings. 

“Investors looking at what happened in the past week will only see a desperate industry trying to maintain the illusion it has any future. If deep sea mining was truly as sustainable as miners claim and their hearts were truly invested in helping the climate crisis, why block dissent? It’s become clear during these weeks that irresponsibly pressing ahead to mine the deep sea in the middle of a climate crisis is not only reckless but politically toxic. The world is fighting back against deep sea mining – there’s a big fight ahead, but the fight is on,” Casson continued. 

The world is waking up to the significance of the threat from deep sea mining. The calls of Indigenous Peoples are being joined by people across the world: 37 financial institutions, over 750 scientists and the fishing industry have also called for a halt. 

“In the Pacific, the ocean is dear to us. It informs our lives and who we are as a people. The spectre of deep-sea mining raises many concerns that remind us of the legacies our region has felt from other colonial extractive industries and the barbarous nuclear testing era. We call on world leaders to be better stewards of our ocean by joining the call for a moratorium,” said Joey Tau, Campaigner with the Pacific Network on Globalisation (PANG) based in Suva, Fiji. 

Greenpeace believes that the way to stop this industry is through a moratorium that focuses on putting protection in place and that requires more governments to speak up to safeguard the ocean. 

1. Avoid Rushed Mining Approvals:
   Greenpeace urges the ISA Council to prioritise ocean protection. We call on governments to ensure that commercial deep sea mining does not start this year. The Council should instruct the Legal and Technical Committee (LTC) not to approve any mining plans without a comprehensive ‘mining code’ in place. Rushing mining approvals under industry pressure is unacceptable and threatens marine ecosystems.
2. Support a Moratorium:
   During the ISA Assembly meeting, Greenpeace calls on governments to work towards adopting a moratorium as a general policy. Express support for the moratorium this year and coordinate with like-minded countries. A moratorium would safeguard our oceans and allow time for thorough assessments of the potential environmental impacts of deep sea mining.
3. Participate Actively and Mobilize:
   Greenpeace asks governments to actively engage in intersessional dialogues, especially the virtual one on 30th May. This involvement is critical to make progress on the ‘what if’ scenario and reach agreements on safeguarding the oceans. Governments should also mobilize Assembly members to participate in the meeting in Kingston, ensuring crucial decisions are made to protect our ocean’s future.
4. Emphasise Legal Solutions:
   Greenpeace emphasises that a moratorium is legally possible and consistent with UNCLOS and ISA frameworks. Governments supporting a pause or moratorium should actively explore legal avenues to achieve this goal and foster collaboration with other Council members.Greenpeace’s asks for the ISA meetings in July 2023 are straightforward: prioritise ocean protection, prevent rushed mining approvals, support a moratorium, participate actively in discussions, and emphasise legal solutions. Together, we can work towards sustainable practices and protect our oceans from the imminent threat of deep sea mining. Let’s take collective action for a healthier marine ecosystem and a sustainable future.

The International Seabed Authority (ISA) claims to safeguard the oceans from the destructive impact of deep sea mining. However, we cannot turn a blind eye to the troubling reality of its operations. The ISA’s ties with deep sea mining companies raise serious concerns about its ability to be an impartial regulator, prioritising profit over environmental preservation.

A Price Tag on Our Oceans

Disturbingly, each time a deep sea mining company applies for seabed exploration, the ISA receives a hefty fee of US$500,000. This monetary incentive casts doubt on the ISA’s commitment to protecting marine ecosystems and makes us question if it can truly stand up to mining industry interests.

The Unfathomable Exploitation

Over 1.5 million square kilometres of the ocean floor have been opened up for deep sea mining exploration by the ISA. This vast area, equivalent to four times the size of Germany, is now at risk of irreversible harm. And to make matters worse, the exploration contracts are primarily monopolised by a privileged few companies headquartered in the Global North, further deepening the inequality in accessing ocean resources.

A Dangerous Two-Year Loophole

The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea allows for a two-year loophole that industry interests are shamelessly exploiting. With this loophole, they push governments to rush into approving deep sea mining operations before comprehensive regulations are in place. It’s an alarming race for profit, disregarding the potential ecological disaster that could unfold.

The Urgent Call for Action

Governments must not leave our oceans vulnerable to exploitation. Without a concrete plan, deep sea mining could gain a foothold, causing untold damage to marine life and habitats. It is high time for our governments to reclaim control of the ISA and reinstate its purpose as a genuine protector of the oceans.

At Greenpeace, we firmly believe that the survival of our planet depends on collective action to protect our oceans. Deep sea mining holds vast potential for environmental devastation, and we cannot stand idly by. We urge governments to act responsibly and prioritise the well-being of our oceans over short-term profit. Let us unite to safeguard our oceans for current and future generations, ensuring a sustainable and thriving planet for all. Together, we can make a difference.

This month, governments meet to negotiate whether to allow deep sea mining at the International Seabed Authority (ISA) – the Council meets 10-21 July, followed by a meeting of the Assembly, on 24-28 July. The meeting of the Council is a decisive moment as it takes place right after the 9 July deadline has passed. A majority of the 36 members of the Council have expressed their opposition to deep sea mining starting without any rules under the so-called ‘two year rule’, but they do need to agree on a way forward which can ensure no commercial mining starts in the coming months. At the Assembly meeting, ISA member States will discuss for the first time the need for a moratorium on deep sea mining.

Greenpeace will be present at this meeting to combine lobbying inside the ISA premises, in collaboration with a large NGO community, with communications and offline activities around the world. Our aim is to both avoid the start of deep sea mining  in the very near future and start building support for a legal roadmap for a moratorium on deep sea mining. We will again provide support and facilitate the participation of indigenous and youth voices at this key debate.

Key messages about Deep Sea Mining

• Governments have recklessly left the backdoor open for deep sea mining to sneak in and start operating later this year. Right now, there’s very little standing between the natural wonders of the deep ocean and the mining machines.
• While more governments are stepping up efforts to stop deep sea mining from starting this year, a handful of laggards are doing the opposite – like announcing  plans to mine the Arctic seabed. It’s a matter of urgency that states gathered in Kingston give these unique and unknown areas the protection they need from this destructive industry.
• To forge ahead and consider the approval of mining licences – as the ISA is under commercial pressure to do from this July – would be criminal. It is time for governments to support a moratorium on deep sea mining and send a clear signal, hot on the heels of a historic Global Ocean Treaty, that the era of ocean destruction is over.
• Imagine if we could go back in time and stop oil drilling. Imagine preventing the ongoing climate crisis, as well as countless oil spills and leaks. Governments in Kingston have the opportunity to get ahead of a new extractive industry and stop deep sea mining before it starts.
• New scientific evidence shows that the area at the centre of the deep sea mining debate is absolutely teeming with undiscovered life – most of which only thrives in these fragile and undisturbed ecosystems – This has to be a dealbreaker for those governments still entertaining this industry.
• The deep sea mining industry claim they will solve the climate crisis by plundering the seabed, using machinery that will destroy marine life to look for metals that the seabed won’t provide.
• Growing international opposition to this risky industry is turning into political resistance. Governments from Europe to Latin America and ministers from island nations are joining Pacific activists, businesses and scientists in their call for a moratorium.
• Serious questions remain about the high-risk and high-cost of deep sea mining, while controversy over its key regulator, the ISA, keeps growing. As frontrunner The Metals Company stumbles on with its plans to mine the seafloor in the face of increasing controversy, it’s time for investors and governments to show this industry has no place in a sustainable future.

Greenpeace objectives for the International Seabed Authority (ISA) meeting:

1. Demonstrate resistance to DSM is increasing across the world – online & offline mobilisation, KIs add voices, media focuses on resistance, pressure & celebrate new governments calling for a moratorium/pause
2. Block industry from getting a greenlight to start DSM – pressure governments to make sure they do not allow easy approval of DSM licence, and do not finalise Mining Code allowing DSM to start. Media coverage focuses on the hurdles
3. Centre the leadership of Pacific activists and communities in the movement against DSM
4. Toxify the enabling environment for mining at ISA/Michael Lodge to create political space for governments to focus on protection

Despite all the efforts to get a Global Ocean Treaty agreed, the oceans remain at risk from a nascent, risky and unnecessary industry: deep sea mining. Imagine if we could go back in time and stop offshore drilling at the dawn of the oil age. Imagine preventing the ongoing climate crisis, as well as countless oil spills and leaks. We have the opportunity to get ahead of a new extractive industry: stopping it before it can ever cause widespread harm to people and planet. World leaders are coming together to decide whether they allow this industry to go ahead or put it in the bin. A moratorium on deep sea mining would allow the latter, enabling scientists to keep investigating the seabed so we can make informed and responsible decisions over the fate of an ecosystem so crucial to our lives and that we still know very little about.

People can get together and stop a new extractive industry before it can ever cause widespread harm to people and the planet. The wonders of the oceans’ ecosystems, and their generous contribution to our planet’s and people’s well being, make the need for a ban on deep sea mining.

Greenpeace has been working with members of Pacific Indigenous communities in opposing DSM. These communities have concerns around the impact the industry could have on the waters around their homes, impacting fishing and cultural heritage. The Pacific is their home and they feel that the DSM industry, whose power is concentrated in the Global North, is a new form of colonialism that shows a lack of respect and understanding about their (and all of our) relationship with the ocean.

During the ISA meeting (when it switches from Council to Assembly) we have agreed to deliver a message on behalf of members of these communities about why they are opposed to DSM and how this will impact their lives.

The depths of our oceans hide a unique living world that we barely understand, but is already under threat from the controversial deep sea mining industry. It is an unique ecosystem home to weird and wonderful creatures, with towers that are thought to protect hidden clues to the origins of life on Earth. No minerals or metals are worth destroying a place we don’t even fully understand. Companies should be investing in recycling and new technology instead of threatening marine life for profit.

The global oceans belong to no one; we all have a responsibility to play our part in securing their protection. These waters might feel remote, but what happens there impacts us all. Stopping deep sea mining before it starts would help to protect wildlife, crucial ecosystems and countless wonders that haven’t yet been discovered.