Bijdrage plenaire verga­dering over het recente besluit van Noorwegen om mijnbouw op de zeebodem in het Noord­pool­gebied te bevor­deren

Anja Hazekamp (PvdD):

Norway’s decision to allow seabed mining in the Arctic is very destructive for the vulnerable Arctic environment, even at exploration state.

The deep sea is the most extensive habitat on our planet, and it supports high biodiversity.

Scientists believe that as many as 10 million species may inhabit the deep sea, an ecosystem that may be as rich as tropical rainforests.

The majority of species are yet to be discovered. The deep sea is also critical for other environmental services, such as long-term carbon sequestration.

This kind of activity could quietly literally start a global race to the bottom – a race to mine the ocean floor.

The position of the EU is clear: the precautionary principle must be applied, and we need an international moratorium on deep sea-bed mining. We need to send a clear message to the Norwegian Parliament to withdraw their decision.