Part 7/9:
While the potential benefits of deep-sea mining are significant, the environmental risks are profound. Mining activities could devastate species that are intricately linked to the nodules. Research has indicated that previously disturbed seafloor areas take decades to recover, leading to declines in biodiversity and populations of marine life that depend on suspended organic matter.
Moreover, comparisons of land vs. sea mining show that the extraction of nodules might result in significantly lower carbon emissions when compared to traditional land-based methods, particularly in regions like the Congo where mining requires extensive land disturbances.