Norway Delays Deep-Sea Mining Plans Following Political Pressure

The country's government has postponed issuing seabed mining licenses until 2025 after demands from a key coalition partner and mounting environmental concerns.

Norway's Socialist Left Party secured a halt to deep-sea mining plans as a condition for supporting the 2025 budget, delaying the first licensing round originally set for next year.
The decision follows criticism from environmental groups, scientists, and international bodies over insufficient research into the ecological risks of seabed mining.
Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre described the move as a postponement rather than a cancellation, with preparatory work on regulations and impact assessments continuing.
Environmentalists, including Greenpeace and WWF, have hailed the delay as a significant victory for ocean protection, with legal challenges against the government still ongoing.
The proposed mining area, spanning 280,000 square kilometers, contains critical minerals like cobalt and copper, but concerns remain about irreversible damage to marine ecosystems.