Symposium on “The future of deep-sea mining: minerals, industry, society, and seabed governance”
Does the future require deep-sea mining? This event brings together two interdisciplinary panels of researchers to share their perspectives on deep-sea mining.
Main content
What: Does the future require deep-sea mining? This event brings together two interdisciplinary panels of researchers. The first panel will share perspectives on the role of deep-sea mining in supplying minerals for society and industry. The second panel discusses how deep-sea mining is currently considered within the framework of seabed governance.
Why: Deep-sea mining is a polarized topic, with conflicting views on whether we should develop a new industry and whether this industry would contribute to the future. Currently, there is a lack of knowledge on deep-sea ecosystems. The environmental baselines, the social license to operate, and the legal framework are missing. There are ethical questions in relation to deep-sea mining and the level of fairness, inclusiveness, and transparency of deep-sea governance. Deliberations, and discussions among a plurality of voices are essential to guiding the way to future decision-making, especially in the context of the Storting vote on whether to open the Norwegian Continental Shelf for deep-sea mining exploration and exploitation.
Speakers (to be finalized):
Laura Drivdal, former researcher at SVT, academic librarian, UiB
Pål Buhl-Mortensen, Institute of Marine Research
Tina Kutti, Institute of Marine Research
Mari Heggernes Eilertsen, Centre for Deep Sea research, UiB
Håkon Larsen, Department of Social Anthropology, UiB
Edvard Hviding, Department of Social Anthropology, UiB
Claudiu Eduard Nedelciu, System Dynamics Group & SEAS, UiB
Dorothy Dankel, SINTEF Ocean
Knut Knapskog, Division of Student and Academic Affairs, Faculty of Law, UiB
Schedule:
10:00-10:30 Welcome with coffee & pastries
Deep-sea mining, energy transformation, and minerals for society
10:30-11:05 Block of perspective pitches
11:05-12:00 Moderated panel discussion (Elyse Hauser)
12:00-13:00 Lunch Break – light refreshments will be served.
Deep-sea mining and seabed governance
13:00-13:35 Block of perspective pitches
13:35-14:30 Moderated panel discussion (Elyse Hauser)
14:30-14:45 Wrap-up and conclusions
Organizers: The System Dynamics Group and the Centre for the Studies of the Sciences and the Humanities (SVT). This event received funding from the Centre for Climate and Energy Transformation (CET) as part of the Accelerator Grant and from the SEAS Programme at UiB.
Registration is now open. Please register as soon as possible since there are limited slots available.
