The International Seabed Authority (ISA) opened Part II of its thirtieth Council session this week with a compelling statement from Secretary-General Leticia Carvalho, who reaffirmed the urgent need for a clear, science-based regulatory framework to govern deep-sea mining.
Speaking to delegates, observers, contractors, and civil society in Kingston, Carvalho emphasized that the work of the ISA is not merely procedural—it is generational.
“These negotiations are not just about rules—they are about legacy,” she said. “Every decision we make here is a promise to those who will come after us.”
A Mandate for Multilateral Action
In her second address as Secretary-General, Carvalho underscored the ISA’s role as the exclusive steward of the international seabed. She reiterated that while it is not her role to support or oppose deep-sea mining, it is the ISA’s legal obligation to regulate it—anchored in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 1994 Agreement.
“What will prevent the Wild West,” she said, referencing concerns about unilateral seabed exploitation, “are the rules.”
The Secretary-General’s remarks follow her recent participation at the UN Ocean Conference in Nice, France, where she advanced ISA’s mission and answered pressing questions from the international community. She reported that stakeholders continue to ask two key questions: What will ISA’s role be amid growing talk of unilateral action, and what is her position on deep-sea mining?
While declining to take a position for or against mining itself, Carvalho stressed her firm belief in a science-based, legally grounded regulatory system that would balance exploitation and protection.
Why It Matters
This meeting comes at a pivotal time. Global interest in seabed minerals has surged, driven by demand for critical metals used in clean energy and defense. Yet the legal framework to manage these resources remains incomplete. The ISA’s Mining Code—specifically the regulations on exploitation—is still in development, even as contractors continue to conduct exploration.
Without internationally recognized rules, nations or private actors could attempt to proceed unilaterally, risking ecological damage, diplomatic tension, and the collapse of the cooperative system that UNCLOS created.
The Secretary-General echoed concerns voiced by the UN Secretary-General that the deep sea “cannot become the Wild West.” The rules being developed by the ISA are seen as the only defense against that outcome—and the only path to legitimacy, sustainability, and accountability.
Moreover, the ISA operates in the Area, defined as the seabed beyond national jurisdictions. Unlike nearshore or EEZ-based operations (like those governed by national governments), the ISA’s work is uniquely international, representing the interests of all humankind.
