SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) 鈥 Brazil on Friday urged a 10-year precautionary pause on deep sea mining in international waters just days after companies and countries were allowed to start applying for provisional licenses.
The call came during a two-week conference held by the International Seabed Authority, a regulatory U.N. agency based in Jamaica that to govern deep sea mining by a July 9 deadline.
The agency has not issued any provisional licenses, nor has it received any applications, although the government of Nauru is expected to apply soon for a license via the 春色直播-based Metals Co.
The government of the tiny Pacific island said Friday that it wants to diversify its 鈥渓imited economic base,鈥 but promised it would not sponsor an application during the U.N. conference, which ends July 21.
Nauru noted that its 鈥済ood-faith decision鈥 does not mean officials are withdrawing their plan to pursue deep sea mining.
鈥淲e鈥檙e no longer in a 鈥榳hat if鈥 scenario, but 鈥榳hat now鈥?鈥 said Margo Deiye, Nauru鈥檚 permanent representative to the International Seabed Authority.
A growing number of countries and , support a moratorium on deep sea mining, warning that extracting precious metals from the deep sea that are used in electric car batteries and other green technology
Brazil鈥檚 representative to the International Seabed Authority, Elza Moreira Marcelino de Castro, said the country supports a precautionary pause for at least a decade.
鈥淧riority must be given to the protection of the international seabed until conclusive and comprehensive studies 鈥 are available,鈥 she said.
Scientists have warned that could kick up dust storms and cause light and noise pollution, noting that minerals that grow at such depths take millions of years to form. Companies, however, have said that deep sea mining is cheaper and has less of an impact than land mining, while some countries have said it would allow them to grow and diversify their economy.
On Friday, several council members insisted on more scientific studies before any licenses are awarded.
鈥淓xploitation must not commence until it can be guaranteed that there will be no loss to biodiversity,鈥 said , Vanuatu鈥檚 representative.
The U.N. agency has issued more than 30 exploration licenses, with most of the activity focused in the Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone, which covers 1.7 million square miles (4.5 million square kilometers) between Hawaii and Mexico. Exploration is occurring at depths ranging from 13,000 to 19,000 feet (4,000 to 6,000 meters).
The U.N. agency鈥檚 36-member council is working on a proposed framework that would regulate potential deep sea mining, but it鈥檚 unclear when it would be ready.
鈥淓xploitation in the area should not be carried out in the absence of rules, regulations and procedures,鈥 Gina Guill茅n, Costa Rica鈥檚 representative, said in a statement that represented the stance of more than a dozen countries.
Australia鈥檚 representative said Friday that it was clear draft regulations would not be ready before the conference ends nor by the next meeting scheduled for October and November.
