New study: Deep sea mining “not even needed” for green energy transition

A new comprehensive study released today by the Institute for Sustainable Futures (UTS), in collaboration with Greenpeace International, reveals that the push to mine the deep ocean is based on a fake dilemma. The report argues that it is possible to pursue a clean energy transition without mining the deep sea or vital ecosystems on land, for so-called critical minerals.

The report, Beyond Extraction, shows that public transportation, improved recycling programmes, and advanced battery technologies are the real critical solutions for a green transition. It concludes that limiting global warming to no more than 1.5°C does not require sacrificing the deep sea or critical ecosystems on land. Governments should focus on reducing demand for raw materials, finding smarter ways to make things, and deploying clean energy rather than opening the deep sea to industrial exploitation.

Greenpeace International deep sea mining campaigner Ruth Ramos said: “Lines have been crossed on the land that need never be crossed in the deep ocean. Now we know: not only does deep sea mining run against science, ethics, people and the planet, it’s not even needed for a renewable transition. What is needed is for the nations of the world to unite against rogue actors like The Metals Company and Donald Trump and their affronts to international law and cooperation, and instead keep moving towards a global moratorium on deep sea mining. Imagine if humans could have protected the world from the harms of the fossil fuel industry before it even started – that is the opportunity when it comes to deep sea mining: it is a historic privilege, and one we must now embrace wholeheartedly.”

For years, the mining lobby has argued that the green transition is impossible without extracting cobalt, nickel, and manganese from the seafloor. This study finds that: 

• Ambitious recycling could reduce the total demand for the nine key transition minerals by up to 45% by 2050. Recycling can reduce primary nickel demand by up to 48%
• A combination of factors including shifting from private car ownership to more public transport, smaller, more efficient EVs, and different battery choices, can reduce cumulative mineral demand by 23%
• The rise of advanced battery technology such as lithium iron phosphate batteries (which do not contain nickel or cobalt) can significantly reduce the demand for certain minerals

Elsa Lee, head of biodiversity at Greenpeace International, said: “We cannot build a green future on a foundation of neocolonialism. Tech and mining giants are using the ‘fossil fuel playbook’ to spark a global resource scramble that threatens Indigenous lands and vital ecosystems. But we don’t need ecocide to power a green revolution; we need a transition that respects both people and the planet. Mining magnates claim that destroying biodiversity is the price of progress, but we refuse to repeat the extractive mistakes of the past. A truly just energy transition must respect Indigenous rights and protect the wonders of our deep ocean, not sacrifice them for profit”.

As part of the report, potential mineral reserves were compared with areas on land and in the global ocean that – due to their exceptional environmental, ecological, and social importance – must be off-limits to mining. These include, amongst others, peatlands, mangroves, intact forest landscapes, protected areas on land, small islands and uncontacted, or voluntary isolation, tribal territory. The analysis finds that there is no need to mine these off-limits areas for an ambitious energy transition.

The report calls on global governments to:

1. Acknowledge that the “mineral gap” must be addressed through responsible political leadership and innovation
2. Support the market scaling of alternative battery chemistries that bypass conflict or deep sea minerals
3. Implement Extended Producer Responsibility to ensure 100% of minerals in old batteries re-enter the supply chain

A global moratorium on deep sea mining is the most responsible precautionary approach to address science gaps, protect the global ocean and uphold international law. More than 40 states, including the UK, now support a moratorium on deep sea mining, along with 950 scientists.

Greenpeace UK has launched a judicial review against the UK government which publicly backs a moratorium. It argues that the Business Secretary’s approval of the transfer of two major deep-sea exploration licences in the Pacific from UK Seabed Resources Ltd (UKSRL) to a new mining company, Glomar Minerals, may breach international and domestic law. It has filed its claim in the High Court of Justice. 

The report contradicts the UK government’s main argument for continuing to sponsor deep sea exploration licences: that it has the “potential to contribute to the global demand for critical minerals to support the energy transition to net zero”. 

Erica Finnie, oceans campaigner at Greenpeace UK said: “The UK government is talking out of both sides of its mouth – claiming to be an ocean champion while quietly handing the keys to the seabed to private profiteers. This legal warning is a wake-up call: you cannot solve the climate crisis by destroying the very ocean ecosystems that help stabilise it. If the government is serious about protecting our oceans, it must stop the greenwashing, stop propping up the mining industry, and speak up in favour of a global moratorium on deep sea mining on the global stage”.

ENDS

Note to Editors: 

A concise briefing document is available here. 

Photos are available in the Greenpeace Media Library

1. The full report (available on request) includes detailed data on nine key minerals: cobalt, copper, dysprosium, graphite, lithium, manganese, neodymium, nickel, and vanadium.
2. Greenpeace continues to highlight that the current state of ocean science and the high environmental risks mean that no ‘mining code’ could make deep sea mining compatible with protecting the marine environment.
3. A press release about Greenpeace UK’s legal challenge is available here.