Comparing environmental impacts of deep‐seabed and land‐based mining: A defensible framework

Author:

Metaxas A.1ORCID,Anglin C. D.2,Cross A.34,Drazen J.5,Haeckel M.6,Mudd G.7,Smith C. R.5,Smith S.8,Weaver P. P. E.9,Sonter L.10,Amon D. J.1112,Erskine P. D.13,Levin L. A.14ORCID,Lily H.15,Maest A. S.16,Mestre N. C.17,Ramirez‐Llodra E.18,Sánchez L. E.19,Sharma R.20,Vanreusel A.21,Wheston S.22,Tunnicliffe V.23

Affiliation:

1. Department of Oceanography Dalhousie University Halifax Nova Scotia Canada

2. Anglin & Associates Consulting North Vancouver British Columbia Canada

3. School of Molecular and Life Sciences Curtin University Bentley Western Australia Australia

4. EcoHealth Network Brookline Massachusetts USA

5. University of Hawaii at Manoa Honolulu Hawaii USA

6. GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel Kiel Germany

7. Environmental Engineering RMIT University Melbourne Victoria Australia

8. Blue Globe Solutions Inc. Toronto Ontario Canada

9. Geosed Ltd, Romsey Hampshire UK

10. School of Earth and Environmental Sciences University of Queensland Brisbane Queensland Australia

11. Marine Science Institute University of California, Santa Barbara Santa Barbara California USA

12. SpeSeas D'Abadie Trinidad and Tobago

13. Sustainable Minerals Institute The University of Queensland Brisbane Queensland Australia

14. Scripps Institution of Oceanography University of California, San Diego La Jolla California USA

15. Independent Legal Consultant Canterbury Kent UK

16. Buka Environmental Telluride Colorado USA

17. Centre for Marine and Environmental Research (CIMA)–Infrastructure Network in Aquatic Research (ARNET) Universidade do Algarve Faro Portugal

18. REV Ocean Lysaker Norway

19. Department of Mining and Petroleum Engineering University of São Paulo São Paulo Brazil

20. National Institute of Oceanography Goa India

21. Marine Biology Research Group Ghent University Krijgslaan Ghent Belgium

22. Tembusu—Sustainability & Risk Management Cashel County Tipperary Ireland

23. Department of Biology/School Earth & Ocean Sciences University of Victoria Victoria British Columbia Canada

Abstract

AbstractThe crises of climate change and biodiversity loss are interlinked and must be addressed jointly. A proposed solution for reducing reliance on fossil fuels, and thus mitigating climate change, is the transition from conventional combustion‐engine to electric vehicles. This transition currently requires additional mineral resources, such as nickel and cobalt used in car batteries, presently obtained from land‐based mines. Most options to meet this demand are associated with some biodiversity loss. One proposal is to mine the deep seabed, a vast, relatively pristine and mostly unexplored region of our planet. Few comparisons of environmental impacts of solely expanding land‐based mining versus extending mining to the deep seabed for the additional resources exist and for biodiversity only qualitative. Here, we present a framework that facilitates a holistic comparison of relative ecosystem impacts by mining, using empirical data from relevant environmental metrics. This framework (Environmental Impact Wheel) includes a suite of physicochemical and biological components, rather than a few selected metrics, surrogates, or proxies. It is modified from the “recovery wheel” presented in the International Standards for the Practice of Ecological Restoration to address impacts rather than recovery. The wheel includes six attributes (physical condition, community composition, structural diversity, ecosystem function, external exchanges and absence of threats). Each has 3–5 sub attributes, in turn measured with several indicators. The framework includes five steps: (1) identifying geographic scope; (2) identifying relevant spatiotemporal scales; (3) selecting relevant indicators for each sub‐attribute; (4) aggregating changes in indicators to scores; and (5) generating Environmental Impact Wheels for targeted comparisons. To move forward comparisons of land‐based with deep seabed mining, thresholds of the indicators that reflect the range in severity of environmental impacts are needed. Indicators should be based on clearly articulated environmental goals, with objectives and targets that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time bound.

Funder

Pew Charitable Trusts

Publisher

Wiley

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