Trump's order on deep-sea mining violates global norms: France April 29, 2025

The United States is moving forward with efforts to extract valuable minerals from the seabed, despite ecological and regulatory concerns (Annabelle GORDON)Annabelle GORDON/AFP/AFP

By AFP - Agence France Presse

Trump's order on deep-sea mining violates global norms: France

France has accused the United States of violating international law after President Donald Trump signed an order to accelerate deep-sea mining in the open ocean outside US territorial waters.

Washington wants to lead the mining of mineral-rich nodules on the deepest ocean floor, bypassing a global effort to regulate this potentially damaging exploration.

France led a diplomatic initiative to impose a global moratorium on deep-sea mining until more is known about its potential environmental consequences.

The country's ambassador for the oceans, Olivier Poivre d'Arvor, said the United States was “violating the principle of non-appropriation of the high seas” by seeking to issue mining licenses in international waters.

“No one can claim the right to destroy the oceans, especially those over which they have no territorial rights. This is the strict application of international law,“ Poivre d'Arvor told reporters at an online news conference.

“The abyss is not for sale,” he added.

The seabed contains untapped reserves of minerals essential to modern technology. However, the ecology of this obscure realm is still poorly understood.

As commercial interest in the seabed has grown, global regulators have sought to create a level playing field and environmental protections for the emerging deep-sea mining industry.

The United States has never ratified the agreements that give jurisdiction to the International Seabed Authority over the seabed in international waters and is not a member of the UN-affiliated body.

Poivre d'Arvor said France, which will host the United Nations Conference on Oceans in June, has formed a coalition of 32 countries that oppose deep-sea mining until the long-term impacts are better understood.

About 20 experts signed a scientific report last month calling for a global moratorium on deep-sea mining for at least 10 to 15 years or until sufficient information is available.

“It is urgent to wait, not to rush,” Bruno David, a prominent French scientist hired by President Emmanuel Macron to write the report, told reporters on Monday.

The report warned that dredging the seabed for minerals could spread giant clouds of sediment hundreds of square kilometers beyond the mining site and cause heavy metals to impact the food chain.

“Science must guide our choices,” David added, describing the Trump administration's actions as ”illusory.”

China, which holds more exploration licenses than any other country but has postponed mining while awaiting ISA rules, said last week that Washington's decision harms global interests and violates international norms.

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