The Norwegian government has suspended its plans for deep-sea mining in Arctic waters following pressure from a small left-wing party.
The agreement was reached after the Socialist Left Party (SV) declared it would not support the government’s budget unless the first round of licensing for deep-sea mineral exploration, initially planned for the first half of 2025, was halted.
“This puts an end to plans for deep-sea mining during the current government’s term,” said Kirsti Bergstø, leader of the SV party.
In January, Norway became the first country in the world to approve commercial deep-sea mining after parliamentary consent. Despite the suspension of licensing, the coalition government announced that preparatory work, such as environmental impact assessments and regulatory development, would continue.
“This will be a delay,” stated Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre.
Environmental groups have hailed the news as a “historic victory” for ocean protection.
Oslo had planned to allow companies to apply for deep-sea mining rights across 280,000 square kilometers of its waters—an area larger than the United Kingdom.
