The International Seabed Authority (ISA), headquartered in Kingston, Jamaica, concluded a crucial global meeting without finalizing a new mining code amidst the escalating race for ocean mineral extraction. The ISA, operating under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, regulates resource extraction in international waters and has come under scrutiny following the United States’ decision, led by President Donald Trump, to approve mining activities outside the ISA’s jurisdiction.
The absence of the U.S., a non-member of the ISA, from the 172-member international body has raised concerns about potential breaches of international law. Leticia Carvalho, the ISA’s secretary-general, warned that actions by mining companies operating outside the ISA framework could lead to legal violations and disrupt ocean governance, emphasizing the risk of fragmentation in current practices.
In 2025, The Metals Company (TMC), a major player in seabed mining headquartered in Vancouver, shifted its focus to the U.S., seeking permits for mining in international waters while challenging the ISA’s authority. TMC’s pursuit of U.S. approval aligns with its strategic objectives, with U.S. regulatory bodies indicating the company’s adherence to local regulations.
Efforts to finalize a mining code to counter such maneuvers have been ongoing, with the ISA launching an inquiry into TMC’s contractors to ascertain potential disruptions to global negotiations on deep-sea mining. Louisa Casson, a Greenpeace campaigner, stressed the importance of investigating possible contract breaches and imposing consequences on rogue actors attempting to bypass international regulations.
Negotiations on the mining code, essential for authorizing commercial mining activities, have faced significant delays due to unresolved issues, including environmental impact assessments and profit-sharing mechanisms. The ISA’s mandate to ensure equitable distribution of benefits from seabed mining, as per international law designating the seabed as the “common heritage of all mankind,” adds complexity to the negotiation process.
While stakeholders like TMC advocate for expediting the mining code’s finalization, experts caution that comprehensive deliberations are necessary to address critical issues. Emma Wilson, policy lead at the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition, highlighted the complexity of negotiations, indicating that a viable agreement may not be achievable within the current year.
Canada, among 40 ISA member nations, supports a moratorium on deep-sea mining to better understand its environmental implications. Despite challenges, companies like Impossible Metals, with a research arm in Ontario, remain optimistic about the ISA’s role in regulating deep-sea mining activities. Research funded by TMC has raised concerns about ecosystem disruptions caused by mining, underscoring the need for further investigations into the long-term impacts on deep-sea ecosystems.