VNR 2025 Joint contribution by Forum Umwelt und Entwicklung, AG Tiefseebergbau, Ozeanien-Dialog, Brot für die Welt, Fair Oceans, WWF Deutschland, DEEPWAVE, WECF Deutschland und GenderCC
Germany has an important role in the negotiations on mining regulations for possible deep sea mining at the International Deep Sea Mining Authority. By instigating a precautionary pause, the German government has, thankfully, arrived at an agreement to prevent the immediate start of commercial deep sea mining, and has ruled out the awarding of licences for extraction until further notice. In doing so, Germany was one of the first industrialised countries – now numbering 32 altogether – to lobby for a pause, moratorium or ban. However, the German position does not go far enough.
In order to protect the already endangered ocean ecosystem against irreversible and unforeseeable consequences and respect the rights of people affected in the long term by deep sea mining, the German government will need to lobby at the national, European and global levels for the extraction of deep sea raw materials to be prevented. The transition to a circular economy with a reduction in absolute primary consumption of raw materials, ambitious reuse targets, improved recycling and sustainable product design makes deep sea mineral resources superfluous. With the national circular economy strategy, the German government has embarked on the path of conserving resources. These plans for conserving resources now need to be speedily implemented. However, in order to make the plans more binding, there needs to be a resource protection law with binding stipulations for measurable targets, reduction paths, monitoring, sanctions and mandatory reporting.
Contributors:
- German NGO Forum on Environment and Development
- Working Group Deep Sea Mining
- Ozeanien-Dialog
- Brot für die Welt
- Fair Oceans
- WWF Deutschland
- DEEPWAVE
- Women Engage for a Common Future (WECF) Deutschland
- GenderCC – Women for Climate Justice