Governance Challenges of Deep Seabed Mining
The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea designated the deep seabed as the “common heritage of mankind” and created the International Seabed Authority (ISA) to oversee mining rights, ensure equitable benefit-sharing, and protect the marine environment.
Frustrated by regulatory delays and scientific uncertainty, corporate actors are exploiting jurisdictional gaps and partnering with non-signatory states to bypass the ISA and pursue mining outside the UNCLOS framework.
Operational progress is hindered by unresolved financial mechanisms for royalty distribution and significant environmental concerns, particularly regarding biodiversity loss and the difficulty of monitoring remote deep-sea ecosystems.
While some investors support circumvention strategies, mining outside the UNCLOS system creates substantial legal risks and threatens the legitimacy of the global governance regime intended to prevent unilateral exploitation.
The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and editors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the countries of which they are nationals, nor those of the United Nations University, UNU-CRIS, or their governing and advisory bodies. The designations employed, the presentation of material, and the use of the names of countries, territories, cities or areas in this publication, including on any maps, do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the United Nations University, UNU-CRIS, or their governing and advisory bodies, concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.
Related content
Working Paper
Comparative Regionalism in an Age of Conflict
Book Chapter
Urban Food Sustainability and Multilateral Environmental Governance Frameworks: Directional and Operational Complexities and Opportunities
Book Chapter