We call on ALL governments including The Netherlands and Belgium to take a firm position against deep-sea mining.

Wij roepen de Nederlandse en Belgische overheden - en alle wereldleiders - op om zich uit te spreken tegen diepzeemijnbouw. (klick hier voor NL tekst)

Over two thirds of global wildlife is gone. The climate crisis is accelerating this loss and wreaking havoc to the natural systems that sustain us. We all feel the effects of these two crises. As we push the boundaries of our only planet beyond repair within human timescales a new threat looms. 

Deep-sea mining is an emerging industry that will cause irreversible damage to life in the deep ocean, will have detrimental consequences to ocean functions, and risks disturbing locked-away carbon. This is why hundreds of scientists are calling for a halt this industry.

The metal rich nodules the miners seek have taken millions of years to form, providing essential habitat to deep-sea animals. Life in the deep is slow growing, with fish older than your grandmother and corals reaching several thousands of years old. 

The deep-sea cannot be regenerated and operations are too costly to be monitored by independent parties. All this will happen in an area that does not belong to any one nation and therefore belongs to all of us.

The bottom line is we cannot afford to embark on a new form of ecocide.

The good news is we don't need to! Studies show we can reduce our demand for new metals by going circular and recovering metals from waste streams. Tech and electric vehicle companies are developing new technologies that don't require metals from the deep-sea. Major corporations are saying NO to deep-sea mining.

Time is running out to stop this industry. It is time for world leaders to unite and say NO to deep-sea mining. Give us hope in these difficult times by showing us that you are prepared to put people and planet first. Governments like Canada, New Zealand, Fiji, Panama, Costa Rica and many others are already leading the way. In the EU France is calling for a ban on deep-sea mining, while Spain, Germany and the European Parliament are sounding the alarm.

Our lives depend on a healthy ocean. The Netherlands and Belgium must be next in saying NO to deep-sea mining!

Learn more about the mission of Women4Oceans 

(Stichting Women4Oceans, ANBI / RSIN: 857169488)