A speculative rush is underway to exploit deep seabed minerals – cobalt, nickel, copper and manganese – allegedly needed for the green shift, led by the International Seabed Authority (ISA), a handful of states, mining startups, frontier investors and research universities. Our investigation focuses on two of the emerging sites where plans for deep-sea mining are accelerating at an alarming pace: Norway’s continental shelf in the Nordic.

Seas and the Clarion Clipperton Zone in the international waters of the Pacific Ocean.

The Norwegian government is in the process of reaching a decision by 2023 whether to open-up its continental shelf for deep-sea mining. Our research by design is aimed at making the consultation process more legible to the public towards a more informed debate on the question of moratorium on deep-sea mining in Norwegian waters.