| Popis: |
Deep-sea polymetallic nodule mining is expected to start within the next decade. There is currently a pressing need to develop best practices to minimise the potential environmental impacts of this new industry. Project-specific environmental management processes, such as environmental impact assessment (EIA), and the associated environmental management and monitoring plan (EMMP), must be effective to sufficiently mitigate environmental impacts of deep-sea mining (DSM) projects. This paper identifies the key drivers, barriers, and enablers to polymetallic nodule mining from a review of recent literature and develops an environmental management framework prior to any exploitation licenses being approved. We explore how the drivers to polymetallic nodule mining are framed in a global context, including claims that it will facilitate clean energy transitions, increase mineral supply diversity, and improve life cycle sustainability. We highlight the key barriers to effective environmental management, including epistemic uncertainty about deep-sea ecosystems, assessment of harmful effects from mining activities, and stakeholder support for a social license. We identify three enablers, including the precautionary approach, the ecosystem approach, and adaptive management, all of which are highly interdependent and must be operationalised to address the identified barriers. The results of this analysis indicate a complex social-ecological narrative infused throughout recent literature, emphasising the need for systems-level thinking and broader stakeholder participation. We present an environmental management framework designed to support good industry practice and guide future research. |
