Despite the fears expressed by many scientists and calls for a moratorium, the Trudeau government is not opposed to exploration and mining in the oceans. However, he pleads for the imposition of “effective means” of protecting the ecosystems of the areas coveted by this nascent industry. Mineral exploration in the marine environment is also not strictly prohibited in Canadian waters.
While the International Seabed Authority (AIFM) prepares the regulatory framework that should open the door to the mining of the planet’s ocean floors, The duty called on the Government of Canada to find out its position as a member country of the AIFM on the subject.
According to what emerges from the responses provided by Natural Resources Canada, the Trudeau government is not opposed to the start-up of this industry, but it calls for caution. “The Government of Canada will ensure that discussions on seabed minerals taking place under the auspices of the International Seabed Authority include effective means to protect marine environments, consistent with the United Nations Convention on the law of the sea”, one specifies by email.
In a second response, the federal ministry indicates that “scientific and transparent management” is necessary, as well as “compliance checks”. Natural Resources Canada also points out that the government is a member of the “High Level Group for a Sustainable Ocean Economy”, which notably includes Japan, Norway and Australia. This grouping undertakes, over the next few years, to “ensure that all seabed mineral activities within and beyond [du territoire] national level meet stringent environmental standards.
The regulations currently being negotiated by the member countries of the AIFM, which will apply to international waters, were to be set in 2023. Their implementation could however be delayed, in particular due to the constraints of the pandemic. According to the French Research Institute for the Exploitation of the Sea, the technology necessary for exploitation, even at great depths, could be operational within five to ten years.
A total of 31 exploration permits have already been granted by the AIFM. They are owned by 22 companies or states. They represent an area of seabed in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans that totals several hundred thousand square kilometres. A vast region of the Pacific located west of Mexico, however, arouses particular interest: the Clarion-Clipperton zone. Permits for more than 1.2 million square kilometers are active there, held by 16 different developers. We would find in these seabed more than 20 billion tons of polymetallic nodules, which contain more than ten different chemical elements.
All of these resources buried at the bottom of the oceans could meet growing industrial demand over the coming decades, particularly for the manufacture of cell phones, computers and electric vehicles, but also for the production of solar and wind energy.
Moratorium
While negotiations are progressing at the AIFM, the spokesperson for MiningWatch Canada, Catherine Coumans, believes that Canada is not participating enough in the discussions. Other states have however clearly called for a moratorium, she specifies, highlighting as examples the European Parliament and scientists. Companies have joined the movement, including BMW, Samsung, Google and Volvo.
Same story on the side of NDP MP Gord Johns, who challenged the Trudeau government on this file last December, in the House of Commons. “Canada needs to act and advocate for a moratorium on deep sea mining exploration. It is one of the only places on the planet that is still relatively preserved from human activity, and these are critical ecosystems for the planet’s biodiversity, ”he argues in an interview.
Furthermore, could the marine environments of Canada’s vast coastal areas also be coveted one day? Certainly, the federal government did not expressly close the door. “Mineral exploration is not strictly prohibited in the waters of Canada’s exclusive economic zone,” replies Natural Resources Canada.
The Trudeau government, however, relies on the legislation already in place to protect these ecosystems, including the Fisheries Act, which prohibits anyone from causing the death of fish by means other than fishing. It also prohibits the deterioration, disturbance and destruction of marine environments, as well as the release of harmful substances. “Other laws may apply, including the Impact Assessment Act, the Canadian Environmental Protection Act and the Species at Risk Act,” the department said.
In this context, Catherine Coumans judges that Canada remains vague on this file by refusing to say explicitly that the country is closing the door to this industry. “What are they trying to hide? The scientists are however categorical: the mining of the seabed would be extremely damaging for the ecosystems of the depths, which are moreover directly linked to intermediate waters, on which the fishing industry depends for example. »
The duty did not identify any mining exploration projects in the Canadian marine environment. In Quebec, this industry is prohibited in the waters of the St. Lawrence.