Top maritime court rejects bid to halt UN deep

Top maritime court rejects bid to halt UN deep-sea mining inquiry Two subsidiaries of The Metals Company sought to block the probe into potential contract breaches launched after the firm’s application for US-sponsored permits A United Nations investigation into deep-sea mining firms will continue after the world's top maritime court rejected their bid to suspend the inquiry triggered by a US-backed push to extract critical minerals from the ocean floor. In two orders issued on Saturday, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) declined to halt an inquiry launched by the International Seabed Authority (ISA) into whether permit holders, including Tonga Offshore Mining Ltd (TOML) and Nauru Ocean Resources Inc (NORI), have breached their obligations under UN exploration contracts. The two companies are subsidiaries of Canadian firm The Metals Company (TMC), which earlier this year sought permits from the United States to commercially mine the deep seabed in an area already covered by its UN exploration licences, bypassing the ISA's regulatory process. The inquiry was opened after TMC's move raised questions over whether its subsidiaries had complied with their contractual obligations to the ISA, which regulates mining in international waters under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. TOML and NORI sued the ISA last June for allegedly targeting them "in breach of due process" and without "good faith". Campaigners accused deep-sea mining frontrunner The Metals Company of obstructing an inquiry into its subsidiaries. The firm says it is being targeted without procedural basis Deadly floods expose poor urban planning, over-population and spread of informal settlements on disaster-prone land – a problem authorities are struggling to manage Fears of a flood of environmentally-dubious carbon credits have faded, with most old projects not able to transition to new UN market While allowing the inquiry to proceed, the court ordered the ISA to ensure the companies receive due process. Judges said the regulator must explain the factual and legal basis of its inquiry, clarify the procedures being followed and provide TOML and NORI with a meaningful opportunity to respond. For 15 years we’ve rigorously reported on the decisions shaping our climate.Upgrading to a paid subscription is how readers like you help keep this work going. A United Nations investigation into deep-sea mining firms will continue after the world's top maritime court rejected their bid to suspend the inquiry triggered by a US-backed push to extract critical minerals from the ocean floor. In two orders issued on Saturday, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) declined to halt an inquiry launched by the International Seabed Authority (ISA) into whether permit holders, including Tonga Offshore Mining Ltd (TOML) and Nauru Ocean Resources Inc (NORI), have breached their obligations under UN exploration contracts. The two companies are subsidiaries of Canadian firm The Metals Company (TMC), which earlier this year sought permits from the United States to commercially mine the deep seabed in an area already covered by its UN exploration licences, bypassing the ISA's regulatory process. The inquiry was opened after TMC's move raised questions over whether its subsidiaries had complied with their contractual obligations to the ISA, which regulates mining in international waters under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. TOML and NORI sued the ISA last June for allegedly targeting them "in breach of due process" and without "good faith". Campaigners accused deep-sea mining frontrunner The Metals Company of obstructing an inquiry into its subsidiaries. The firm says it is being targeted without procedural basis Deadly floods expose poor urban planning, over-population and spread of informal settlements on disaster-prone land – a problem authorities are struggling to manage Fears of a flood of environmentally-dubious carbon credits have faded, with most old projects not able to transition to new UN market While allowing the inquiry to proceed, the court ordered the ISA to ensure the companies receive due process. Judges said the regulator must explain the factual and legal basis of its inquiry, clarify the procedures being followed and provide TOML and NORI with a meaningful opportunity to respond. The companies seeks to mine an area called the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, which holds vast reserves of critical minerals like nickel, manganese and rare earths but is also home to a little-studied deep ocean ecosystem with thousands of unnamed species. In response to the court's ruling, the ISA welcomed the decision, saying the inquiry "remains in effect" and would continue "with due regard to all applicable legal requirements". Last week, during an annual meeting of its member governments, ISA secretary-general Leticia Carvalho said the resources in the ocean floor are "the common heritage of humankind" and upheld the agency's role as "more important than ever". TMC also welcomed the court decision in a statement and claimed that judges ruled to "protect the rights of TMC subsidiaries". “Contractors like NORI and TOML, who have together spent hundreds of millions of dollars on the promise of a fair regulatory framework, should be informed of the factual and legal basis of any non-compliance inquiries, understand the procedure being applied, and receive a meaningful opportunity to respond,” said Gerard Barron, CEO of The Metals Company. Environmental groups said the ruling allows scrutiny of the companies' actions to continue. Louisa Casson, deep-sea mining campaigner with Greenpeace, said the "entire litigation has been an egregious waste of time and money", which was part of the industry's "textbook distraction tactic" meant to delay the consequences of the inquiry. "If the inquiry confirms that TMC’s subsidiaries are breaching their contracts, governments must send the strongest possible signal that complicity in unlawful deep sea mining will not be tolerated," she said. While investigation is still ongoing, NORI's contract is set to expire this week and is up for review. Governments asked the ISA to report back and make "make appropriate recommendations" by the next ISA assembly, its main decision-making body set to take place next week from July 27 to 31. The court ordered both the ISA and TMC to submit a report on how they complied with the ruling by August 31, and called on both to "cooperate and refrain from any action that might lead to aggravating the dispute". Our unprecedented reporting provides experts and professionals globally with the analysis and insight they need to navigate the most important climate issues. Trusted by the UN, World Bank, and governments around the world, sign up today and see why our award-winning coverage has been considered the authority for almost 15 years. Essential £0 A few top stories each week alongside our Climate Weekly newsletter. Deadly floods expose poor urban planning, over-population and spread of informal settlements on disaster-prone land – a problem authorities are struggling to manage Campaigners accused deep-sea mining frontrunner The Metals Company of obstructing an inquiry into its subsidiaries. The firm says it is being targeted without procedural basis As forecasters warn that the weather phenomenon will bring more extreme weather, its effects are already being felt in a country reeling from a series of disasters Deadly floods expose poor urban planning, over-population and spread of informal settlements on disaster-prone land – a problem authorities are struggling to manage Campaigners accused deep-sea mining frontrunner The Metals Company of obstructing an inquiry into its subsidiaries. The firm says it is being targeted without procedural basis As forecasters warn that the weather phenomenon will bring more extreme weather, its effects are already being felt in a country reeling from a series of disasters The new Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage faces an overwhelming number of initial requests for its limited pot of money and board members decided to take more time to choose which to back first To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions. 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