{"id":60892,"date":"2026-07-13T01:40:02","date_gmt":"2026-07-13T05:40:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/arctic-seabed-mission-documents-fragile-marine-life-threatened-by-norways-deep-sea-mining-plans\/13\/07\/2026\/"},"modified":"2026-07-13T01:40:02","modified_gmt":"2026-07-13T05:40:02","slug":"arctic-seabed-mission-documents-fragile-marine-life-threatened-by-norways-deep-sea-mining-plans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/arctic-seabed-mission-documents-fragile-marine-life-threatened-by-norways-deep-sea-mining-plans\/13\/07\/2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Arctic seabed mission documents fragile marine life threatened by Norway&#8217;s deep-sea mining plans"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\n<\/p>\n<div data-article-body=\"true\" data-body-type=\"bodyblocks\">\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">For a month, a team of international scientists explored the Arctic seabed off the coast of Norway. Remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) roamed the ocean&#8217;s seamounts and hydrothermal vents, plunging as deep as 3,000 metres.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Their mission? To gather evidence on the rare and fragile <a data-ylk=\"slk:marine life;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2025\/07\/27\/marine-heatwaves-may-have-driven-the-worlds-oceans-to-a-critical-tipping-point-scientists-\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>marine life<\/strong><\/a> that could be threatened by plans to mine the seabed for critical minerals.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The expedition, run by <a data-ylk=\"slk:Greenpeace;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2026\/02\/27\/greenpeace-is-facing-a-290-million-lawsuit-can-the-pioneering-environmental-group-survive\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Greenpeace<\/strong><\/a>, was livestreamed, drawing more than 450,000 viewers on social media platforms.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><button aria-label=\"View larger image\" class=\"group absolute bottom-0 size-full\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\"><span class=\"absolute bottom-3 right-3 rounded-full bg-primary p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-primary\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" class=\"flex-none size-4 -scale-x-100 text-primary lg:size-6 [&amp;_path]:fill-current\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M3.1 3.1V11h1.8V6.314l5.392 5.393 1.415-1.414L6.313 4.9H11V3.1zm17.8 17.8V13h-1.8v4.686l-5.393-5.393-1.415 1.414 5.393 5.393H13v1.8z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><dialog aria-label=\"Modal Dialog\" aria-modal=\"true\" class=\"fixed bottom-0 left-0 right-0 top-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-primary hidden\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<p><span class=\"wdgt-image_capText\">            Scientists at the ROV control room        <\/span><span class=\"wdgt-image_credit\">             &#8211;                                 Greenpeace        <\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Among the species filmed was a rare Dumbo <a data-ylk=\"slk:octopus;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2026\/04\/24\/a-fearsome-sight-19-metre-long-octopuses-prowled-the-oceans-100-million-years-ago-new-rese\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>octopus<\/strong><\/a> \u2013 coincidentally, the mascot of the expedition. Researchers also gathered more than 400 sponge samples and identified several species that may be new to science.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Anne Helene Tandberg, a researcher at the University in Bergen who took part in the expedition, says deep-sea ecosystems are particularly slow to recover from disturbances. &#8220;Very many of the species are long-lived and don&#8217;t produce very many offspring, so if something happens, they have very little [capacity for] restitution,&#8221; she says.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"mb-4 border-l-2 pl-5 italic text-tertiary\">\n<div>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The deep sea, even though it&#8217;s far away from us, is already suffering a lot of problems.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Anne Helene Tandberg<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">University in Bergen<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Tandberg adds that climate change is compounding the problem. Many deep-sea invertebrates rely on cold, stable water and external skeletons built from calcium, both of which are affected as <a data-ylk=\"slk:oceans warm;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;outcm:mb_qualified_link;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/news\/science\/articles\/record-high-ocean-heat-could-092104918.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\"><strong>oceans warm<\/strong><\/a> and acidify. &#8220;The deep sea, even though it&#8217;s far away from us, is already now suffering a lot of problems,&#8221; she says.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><strong>Related<\/strong><\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img alt=\"An ROV arm holding a &quot;Listen to the science&quot; poster at the Arctic seabed\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"808\" height=\"454\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"rounded-lg\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/lo\/mysterio\/api\/f9c5bd1c83e15fe93767f682fa8b46edbae2251dcadd255fb1f111465e1e7191\/lightyear_networkapi\/resizefill_w808_h454;quality_80;format_webp\/https:%2F%2Fmedia.zenfs.com%2Fen%2Feuronews_us_news_articles_566%2F9d143b232c32f69dadeab1fc293c1ee2\"\/><button aria-label=\"View larger image\" class=\"group absolute bottom-0 size-full\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\"><span class=\"absolute bottom-3 right-3 rounded-full bg-primary p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-primary\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" class=\"flex-none size-4 -scale-x-100 text-primary lg:size-6 [&amp;_path]:fill-current\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M3.1 3.1V11h1.8V6.314l5.392 5.393 1.415-1.414L6.313 4.9H11V3.1zm17.8 17.8V13h-1.8v4.686l-5.393-5.393-1.415 1.414 5.393 5.393H13v1.8z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><dialog aria-label=\"Modal Dialog\" aria-modal=\"true\" class=\"fixed bottom-0 left-0 right-0 top-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-primary hidden\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<p><span class=\"wdgt-image_capText\">            An ROV arm holding a &#8220;Listen to the science&#8221; poster at the Arctic seabed        <\/span><span class=\"wdgt-image_credit\">             &#8211;                                 Greenpeace        <\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"mb-4 text-xl font-bold md:text-2xl\">Seabed mining plans face fierce debate<\/h2>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The area surveyed during the expedition was opened up for <a data-ylk=\"slk:deep-sea mining;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2025\/12\/04\/deep-sea-mining-norway-halts-controversial-practice-until-2029\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>deep-sea mining<\/strong><\/a> by the Norwegian government in 2024. Exploration has since been paused until at least 2029, following objections from environmental groups, scientists, fishing communities and opposition parties in Norway.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Supporters of deep-sea mining, including some governments and mining companies, argue that the <a data-ylk=\"slk:seabed;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;outcm:mb_qualified_link;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/news\/science\/articles\/inside-month-long-expedition-try-143419000.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\"><strong>seabed<\/strong><\/a> holds reserves of critical minerals \u2013 such as cobalt, nickel and rare earth elements \u2013 needed for batteries, electric vehicles and other green technologies, and that these reserves could ease pressure on land-based supply chains. Norway has cited this rationale in pursuing its own domestic seabed resources.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Critics, including marine scientists and conservation groups, counter that the environmental risks are poorly understood and potentially irreversible, and that sufficient <a data-ylk=\"slk:mineral reserves;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/my-europe\/2026\/05\/20\/global-race-for-critical-raw-materials-is-about-power-eu-commission-says\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>mineral reserves<\/strong><\/a> still exist on land. There are calls for a moratorium until the impacts are better known. Negotiations over international mining rules, led by the UN&#8217;s International Seabed Authority, are still ongoing.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">For the scientists behind the Arctic expedition, the priority is to gather evidence before any decision is made. Their samples and footage will be analysed in the coming months, with findings expected to feed into proposals for marine protected areas in Norwegian waters.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/news\/science\/articles\/arctic-seabed-mission-documents-fragile-050252010.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>For a month, a team of international scientists explored the Arctic seabed off the coast of Norway. Remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) roamed<br \/><button class=\"read-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/arctic-seabed-mission-documents-fragile-marine-life-threatened-by-norways-deep-sea-mining-plans\/13\/07\/2026\/\">Read More &rsaquo;<\/a><\/button><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":60893,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","_seopress_robots_follow":"","_seopress_robots_imageindex":"","_seopress_robots_snippet":"","_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_robots_breadcrumbs":"","_seopress_robots_freeze_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_custom_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_canonical":"","_seopress_social_fb_title":"","_seopress_social_fb_desc":"","_seopress_social_fb_img":"","_seopress_social_fb_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_height":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_title":"","_seopress_social_twitter_desc":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_height":0,"_seopress_redirections_value":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled_regex":"","_seopress_redirections_logged_status":"","_seopress_redirections_param":"","_seopress_redirections_type":0,"_seopress_analysis_target_kw":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/lo\/mysterio\/api\/d862d568532d27cbb6f8bef79e0b02a4f4a68c7464a57c47c5350654a6c06345\/lightyear_networkapi\/resizefill_w800_h450;quality_80;format_webp\/https:%2F%2Fmedia.zenfs.com%2Fen%2Feuronews_us_news_articles_566%2F01786cc2e8a55efb3dd7ff03e59d78ae","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60892"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=60892"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60892\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/60893"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=60892"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=60892"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=60892"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}