Indonesian Coalition Urges Government to Reject Deep-Sea Mining

The Publish What You Pay (PWYP) Indonesia coalition has formally urged the government to adopt a stance against deep-sea mining (DSM) ahead of the 31st International Seabed Authority (ISA) session in Kingston, Jamaica. In a letter sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, the coalition called for Indonesia to support a moratorium or outright rejection of deep-sea mining.

Aryanto Nugroho, National Coordinator of PWYP Indonesia, stated that approving commercial exploitation of deep-sea minerals could lead to vast and irreparable environmental damage. "We are conveying our urgent appeal and proposed stance as part of a community that sees potential for significant environmental threats if deep-sea mining is commercially approved through the UN session," Aryanto said.

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We are conveying our urgent appeal and proposed stance as part of a community that sees potential for significant environmental threats if deep-sea mining is commercially approved through the UN session.

Indonesia, as a member of the ISA Council for 2023-2026, plays a direct role in shaping the rules for international seabed mineral exploitation. A key agenda item at the upcoming ISA meeting is the Mining Code, which will determine the legality of commercial deep-sea mining. PWYP and other civil society groups are concerned that The Metals Company (TMC) and its affiliates may intend to use Indonesia's supply chains and smelter capacity to process polymetallic nodules mined from international waters.

"Indonesia is being targeted as a global processing hub for deep-sea rocks, with the risk of significant waste in coastal areas," Aryanto warned. The coalition argues that the potential legalization of DSM faces widespread opposition due to ecological risks and potential human rights violations. Research indicates that deep-sea mining impacts could be permanent and difficult to reverse. The UN Human Rights Council has noted that DSM activities risk damaging marine biodiversity and disrupting seabed sediment layers, which act as natural carbon sinks, potentially releasing large amounts of carbon emissions into the atmosphere. Furthermore, deep-sea mining could threaten the health, food, and living space rights of coastal communities through heavy metal pollution accumulating in fish resources.

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Indonesia is being targeted as a global processing hub for deep-sea rocks, with the risk of significant waste in coastal areas.