Norway’s Halt on Deep-Sea Mining

Norway’s government has postponed plans for Deep-Sea Mining in the Arctic, plans that had been due to begin in 2025.

From Approval to Postponement

Norway’s previous government had initially given the go-ahead for deep-sea mining in 2024, with plans to begin in 2025 [1]. However, despite being one of the first countries to agree to deep-sea mining, the new government postponed the plans until the end of the current term (2029) at the end of last year. This decision was made due to the controversy over the potential environmental impact of the practice.

What Is Deep-Sea Mining and Why Does It Matter?

Although the practice of deep-sea mining is still somewhat in its infancy, the concept is similar to that of bottom trawling, in that what is essentially a net or sieve is scraped across or just under the sea floor in order to collect rocks (nodules) deposited there. Many of these nodules are expected to contain rare earth minerals such as cobalt and zinc. The main argument for commencing the practice was that these minerals will be essential in moving Norway closer to 100% green energy use, as these minerals are critical in the production of batteries, which will supply the country with batteries for EVs and energy grid capacity.

Environmental Concerns and Policy Implications

The opposition to this practice comes from the potential impact on the environment. Deep-sea mining, much like bottom trawling, causes havoc on the local ecosystem, destroying habitats and leaving an empty seabed behind. The postponement of deep-sea mining will allow policymakers time to implement rules and regulations around the practice to limit or offset the environmental impacts, or they may ban it altogether, stopping it before it even begins.

Balancing Environmental Costs and Energy Goals

This turn of events shows that with resource extraction, even though the end goal may be admirable, there is always a price to be paid, and governments will have to weigh up the benefits against the costs to decide what is best overall.

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References

[1] Euro News, “Deep-sea mining: Norway halts controversial practice until 2029”, 4 December2025.
(Online) Available: https://www.euronews.com/green/2025/12/04/deep-sea-mining-norway-halts-controversial-practice-until-2029 [Accessed 15 January 2026].

Image accreditation: Underwater Debris (20 March 2025). Unsplash.com. Last accessed on 15th January 2026. Available at: https://unsplash.com/photos/an-underwater-wreck-lies-on-the-ocean-floor-XHq3R8lkwoI