Norway’s minority government has agreed to allow mining exploration on the seabed in the Arctic. This could be a step to full-scale commercial ocean mining.
The minority government was supported by two other opposition parties in the decision.
The proposal will now come up for a formal vote in the Norwegian parliament in January next year.
Those in favour of mining the seabed said it would create jobs and provide access to rare and important minerals while those opposed expressed concerns over environmental damage.
The issue of large-scale commercial mining of the seabed has been a topic of debate for years, and this move by Norway could see the debate swing in favour of those who believe it should be allowed.
Image by Luciano Pinto Daniel from Pixabay