500,000 signatures against seabed mining were presented to Norwegian parliamentarians by climate activists
By Linda Parr Rundquist and Andrew Kroglund
The resolution on Norway’s decision to open the doors to deep seabed mining in the Arctic was successfully adopted by the EP in February, with 523 in favour, 34 against and 59 abstentions.
With this resolution, the European Parliament sends a strong signal and expresses critical environmental concerns regarding Norway’s decision to open vast areas in Arctic waters for deep-sea mining activities.
It also reaffirms its support for a moratorium (with strong conditions) and calls on the European Commission, EU Member States and all countries to apply the precautionary approach and promote a moratorium on deep-sea mining, including at the International Seabed Authority.
Linda Parr Rundquist, Chairperson of the Grandparents’ Climate Campaign Norway, welcomes the decision in the EU Parliament, and praises the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition, a broad national and international civil society coalition having worked on the issue.
The Grandparents’ Climate Campaign Norway has written opinion pieces and published articles on its webpage and has all along been critical to the proposal of opening up for seabed mining. The organization has also participated in parliament hearings and been active on the streets. In the large gathering in front of the Parliament in January this year, 500,000 signatures against deep sea mining were handed over to several parliamentarians.