The decision is being praised by environmental organizations, although the law does not provide for the automatic renewal of the moratorium defended by the activists.
From this Tuesday, moratorium on deep sea mining In Portuguese waters, making Portugal the first country to consecrate in law the protection of marine funds against this extractive activity of high environmental impact.
The diploma, promulgated by the President of the Republic on March 21, was published this Monday in the Diário da República.
The moratorium, which will extend until 2050, was approved by Parliament on March 14, through a final text resulting from Pan, PSD, Livre and PS bills.
The measure had votes against the arrival and the liberal initiativebut received praise from environmental organizations such as WWF Portugal, Sciaena and Sustainable Ocean Alliance (SOA).
Deep sea mining aims at the extraction of precious metals found in nodules at the bottom of the ocean, such as cobalt and nickel, essential for the energy transition and manufacture of electric car batteries.
However, the environmental impacts of this activity are widely unknown and can be devastating to the marine biodiversity.
Portugal thus assumes a leadership role in defending the oceans, joining the scientific recommendations and appeals of various international organizations for a “precautionary pause” in submarine mining.
Other territories, such as Hawaii and the Autonomous Region of the Azores, also adopted similar measures.
curre the Probation
Despite the historical advance, some recommendations of the National Council of Environment and Sustainable Development (CNADs) were not included in the law, such as the possibility of Automatic Moratorium Renewal For another 10 years if science does not have sufficient information on the impacts of mining.
Speaking to, Tiago Pitta and Cunha, CEO of the Blue Ocean Foundation, celebrated the decision, stating that Portugal will earn “credits” on the international ocean protection agenda.
“Portugal is at this time in a political crisis, there will be elections, and I am sure the next government, whateverit will not be able to change the position of the country regarding the moratorium to submarine mining, because it can only be changed by law of parliament, ”explained Pitta and Cunha.
“May this news run the world“He declared, emphasizing the need to wage what he called” the last irresponsibility of the human species. “
What happens at sea is not in the sea
The environmental risks of high seas mining are widely studied and identified. Scientific studies indicate that the bottom of the sea performs a fundamental role in climate regulation and carbon absorption.
“What happens at the bottom of the sea is not at the bottom of the seahas negative repercussions not only in the water column, but throughout the ocean system, ”warns Pitta and Cunha.
Mineral exploration can cause Significant disorders in sediments Marine, which accumulate heat and help regulate global warming. In addition, disturbing these layers can release large amounts of stored carbon, further aggravating the climate crisis.
Contamination of the water column also represents a concern for fishing and food safety.
“In addition to the disorder of the background sediments and the disappearance of biodiversity, there is a Sediment layer that contaminates the water column in a way Absolutely giant”Affecting 20% of the protein humans consume on the planet.
Portugal in the defense of the oceans
According to Tiago Pitta and Cunha, Portugal has been internationally highlighted in the defense of the oceans.
“Portugal held the largest ocean conference on the planet, the UN conference in 2022, in which it was co-anphitrian with Kenya, which boosted in a large Progress of the multilateral agenda of the ocean“He explained.
In the last three years more decisions have been made about marine protection than in the previous thirty yearsenhances the environmentalist.
Despite this advance, our country still faces challenges in the formulation of an ocean foreign policy. “Portugal does not have a true policy External to the ocean, and without it, Portugal does not have the mechanisms to influence decisions from other Member States, ”warned Pitta and Cunha.
Even so, the expert argues that the new law strengthens the country’s position as a GLOBAL LEADER IN THE PROTECTION OF Oceansand may encourage other nations to adopt similar measures.
The Portuguese decision generates an impact on international discussions, especially within the international authority of marine funds (ISA), the UN organism responsible for the regulation of underwater mining in international waters.
Isa has been pressured by governmentsscientists and environmental organizations to impose a global moratorium on sea bottom mining, but faces resistance from some countries and companies interested in exploring these resources.
The position of Portugal, which contributes to the debate on the need to protect marine ecosystems, still gains meaning in the context of the Continental platform extension projectwhich would increase the national territory and.
The ambitious project is coordinated by EMEPC – mission structure for the extension of the continental shelf, which in 2009 presented to CLCs, the Commission of the limits of the continental shelf UN, a proposal for Continental platform extension Portuguese.
The Portuguese proposal intends to guarantee the sovereignty about natural resources under the sea and underground Beyond the Exclusive Economic Zone that, comprising the 200 miles of sea that accompany the continental coast and surround the archipelagos of Madeira and Azores, is already the 20th largest in the world.
If the project is approved by CLCS, Portugal may have an extended continental platform with about 4 million km2 – The corresponding to almost 90% of the European Union Sea.
