“Canada does not presently have a domestic legal framework that would permit seabed mining and, in the absence of a rigorous regulatory structure, will not authorize seabed mining in areas under its jurisdiction,” natural resources and oceans and fisheries ministers said in a joint statement.
The decision comes after a report commissioned by the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy, which includes representatives from 14 countries, in 2020 said mining on sea floors should not begin before full assessments of the likely environmental impacts are made.
Any decision on whether to allow seabed mining needed to be “informed by science” and protect ecosystems while also weighing economic and social effects, according to the joint statement.
Canada is also not exploring the potential for seabed mining outside its jurisdictional waters, it added, citing previous G7 commitments.
Speaking at an event in Vancouver on…
