According to Mining.com to Reuters, the New Zealand government announced on Friday (5) that it will assess the risks and benefits of seabed mining, and whether there should be domestic regulation.
Environment Minister David Parker said there was a clear set of views on seabed mining and a review would help New Zealand have a say on the issue.
Parker said in a statement that "attention should be paid to the environmental impact of seabed mining and its potential role in New Zealand's transition to a decarbonized economy." Seabed mining is permitted in New Zealand, but must be approved by the Environmental Protection Agency. Although the EPA has received three applications for the project, it has not given a clear response to any of them. Debate is growing over whether nickel and other green energy transition metals should be mined under the ocean floor. In October, New Zealand backed a conditional moratorium on seabed mining in areas beyond national jurisdiction. "New Zealand's international standing does not require the government to change its position on seabed mining," Parker said. But now that there is support for a conditional moratorium on seabed mining, this requires an examination of our own regulatory system as soon as possible."
