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THE BLUE GENERATION | 107

In contrast to the drive for profits, the SOA champions
knowledge which prioritises deep sea biodiversity re-
search, their role in carbon storage and the climate
system. The young leaders from the international
A MORATORIUM community have organised their appeal for the deep
ON DEEP SEA MINING sea and are carrying out an awareness campaign on
the impacts of the deep sea mining industry. They are
On the brink of the era of deep sea mining and as the calling on young people and certain government re-
pressure mounts to deliver International Seabed Au- presentatives, particularly from the small island states.
thority operating licences, the SOA and its Advisory In the short term, they are counting on the support of
Council have proposed a moratorium for the next ten Indonesia, Portugal, the Philippines and Peru, in order
years. “We are concerned that deep sea mining could to increase their influence.
be the final straw for an already vulnerable ocean. We
must protect the climate benefits of the deep seas”
explained Alanna Smith during the web meeting, from
the Cook Islands. “The Pacific islands (Fiji, Papua
New Guinea, Vanuatu) made declarations against this
problem in 2019. We must support them! ”

IN
SIGHT

“The opportunity to give a
presentation during Monaco Ocean
Week was exciting and allowed us
to interact with political leaders and
opinion leaders. These key figures
could help us to extend and escalate
our campaigns for the ocean to turn
our concept into a solution”,

Mark Haver, chair of the SOA Youth
Policy Advisory Council.