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If an EU country were to follow Norway's example, it would be opening itself up to the possibility of litigation and criminal prosecution (Photo: NN - norden.org)

Call Norway's deep-sea Arctic mining what it is — ecocide

Norway's recent decision to greenlight deep-sea mining plans in the Arctic has sent shockwaves through the world.

Despite mounting concerns voiced by scientists, civil society organisations, fishers, the Norwegian environmental agency, and more than 550,000 citizens who have signed an online petition, Norway will open over 281,000km2 of its waters to both exploration and exploitation of deep-sea mining — an area equivalent to the size of Italy.

This decision gives Norway the dub...

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Disclaimer

The views expressed in this opinion piece are the author’s, not those of EUobserver

Author Bio

Simon Holmström is deep-sea mining policy officer at Seas At Risk and alumni member of the Ecocide Alliance. Shirleen Chin is an international legal expert, member of the IUCN World Commission on Environmental Law, and project manager for the “Bottom Line! Project” on behalf of Stop Ecocide Netherlands. Wouter Justus Veening is president of Institute for Environmental Security. Femke Wijdekop is an independent legal expert at UN Harmony with Nature. Robert Bray is a member of council of the European Law Institute. Valérie Cabanes is an international jurist and member of the Independent Expert Panel for the Legal Definition of Ecocide.

If an EU country were to follow Norway's example, it would be opening itself up to the possibility of litigation and criminal prosecution (Photo: NN - norden.org)

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Author Bio

Simon Holmström is deep-sea mining policy officer at Seas At Risk and alumni member of the Ecocide Alliance. Shirleen Chin is an international legal expert, member of the IUCN World Commission on Environmental Law, and project manager for the “Bottom Line! Project” on behalf of Stop Ecocide Netherlands. Wouter Justus Veening is president of Institute for Environmental Security. Femke Wijdekop is an independent legal expert at UN Harmony with Nature. Robert Bray is a member of council of the European Law Institute. Valérie Cabanes is an international jurist and member of the Independent Expert Panel for the Legal Definition of Ecocide.

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