Theresa Rodriguez-Moodie, PhD, is an environmental scientist and the CEO of the Jamaica Environment Trust.
Scientists today know more about space than about the deep sea. This ecosystem is the largest on the planet, comprising over 90 per cent of the marine environment. In 1970, the deep sea was declared the ‘Common Heritage of Mankind’ to be preserved for peaceful purposes.
In spite of this recognition, mining this fragile and critically important environment could begin as early as 2023. The impacts of deep sea mining (DSM) have the potential to be devastating and global.
In 2019, despite warnings of scientists and civil society groups across the world, the Government of Jamaica (GOJ) entered the DSM industry through its sponsorship of Blue Minerals Jamaica Limited (BMJ), a Jamaican registered company.
WHAT IS DEEP SEA MINING?
The deep sea is 200 metres to 11 kilometres beneath the ocean surface. Until a few years ago, many thought that not much life existed at such extreme depths. It supports some of the planet’s most stable and unique ecosystems which may be as diverse as the world’s richest tropical rainforests.
For the rest of this column: https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/focus/20220814/theresa-rodriguez-moodie-deep-sea-mining-not-worth-risk