Hi John,

Monster machines are gearing up to rip up untouched nature, local communities are facing devastation and a handful of executives are set to profit. This isn’t Avatar - this is deep sea mining and the UK government is complicit. [1][2]

Companies mainly from the UK, Europe and North America want to carve up the Pacific Ocean and they want the green light by summer - can you call on PM Rishi Sunak to stop this destructive industry from starting?

Last week in Jamaica, world governments met at the International Seabed Authority to decide on rules for the deep sea mining industry. The industry wants to take massive mining equipment to one of the last untouched ecosystems on earth, and rip up everything and anything to find metals and minerals. Only governments can stop them.

The deep sea is still mostly unexplored and is vital for ocean life and to tackle climate change - the level of destruction mining the ocean floor would have is unimaginable. Species we’ve not yet discovered could be erased, unique habitats wiped out and pollution and debris from mining could harm wildlife like sharks and whales nearer the surface. [3,4]

The fact is, the deep sea mining industry don’t know all the risks, but they’re still pressing ahead anyway. [5] But this won’t only affect wildlife - this could devastate local communities who have relied on the ocean for their livelihood for generations. This is yet more exploitation of the Global South - but we can still stop this. Can you call on Rishi Sunak to ban deep sea mining? 

The good news is, momentum is on our side. Indigenous communities in the Pacific have been taking action for years. Last week in the Pacific Ocean, Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise took action too. Māori activists hung a banner from a UK government funded deep sea mining research vessel with a simple message ‘Say No to Deep Sea Mining’. [6] Together, we can stop this industry from starting. 

Countries like France, Germany and Spain have joined Pacific nations like Fiji in opposition to this industry. [7] The UK government has yet to join them and if they want any legitimacy as a global ocean leader, Rishi Sunak must say no to deep sea mining.

Only a month ago world leaders agreed to a historic Global Oceans Treaty that would help protect our oceans from exploitation - the UK must not undermine this historic victory. [8] Make sure you call on Rishi Sunak to stop this destructive industry. 

Thank you for everything you do,

Anthony and the Oceans team. 

Notes: 

[1] UK’s deep-sea mining permits could be unlawful – Greenpeace 

[2] What is deep sea mining?

[3] In pictures: Mysterious creatures of the deep

[4] Deep sea mining threatens unique marine life, experts warn

[5] New study shows no recovery of deep seabed 77 years after anthropogenic disturbance 

[6] Māori Greenpeace activists confront deep-sea mining research ship 

[7] Germany, France and Spain create genuine possibility for action on deep sea mining 

[8] Global Ocean Treaty: how people power helped protect the oceans

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