SPC Geoscience Division

New laws will be required to address the challenges faced by regional countries in regulating the mining of deep seabed minerals according to Dr. Robin Warner of the Australia National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security (ANCORS).

There is established deep seabed minerals law in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea that relates to the “vast expanse of oceans outside of national jurisdictions of the countries often called the  “Area,” and the International Seabed Authority (ISA) is regarded as a mentor for implementing international standards for the protection of the marine environment.

The Law and Policy Working Group, an integral part of the international workshop on Environmental Management Needs for Exploration and Exploitation of Deep Seabed Minerals, has been looking at an appropriate framework for deep seabed mining laws within Pacific states.