The quality of submarine life is highly dependent on how nature and humans manage. 2/3 of our biosphere is marine. There is even a saying that we know more about our Moon and Mars than our own seas. This is radically changing now, at the eve of this new age of submarine extension. Still, we have lots of experience and hinter sights from our development at land. Moreover, there are great differences and new enterprises ahead, - where no human has ever been before, - right outside our doorstep. Hence, this blog sets the focus on the civilized united nations sustainable development goal for 2030 – namely SDG 14 ‘Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development’.
Deep sea mining involves retrieval of minerals and deposits from the ocean floor found at depths of 200 to 6500 meters. There is great interest in polymetallic nodule, polymetallic sulphide, and ferromanganese, which contain valuable metals such as silver, gold, copper, manganese, cobalt, and zinc. Such minerals are until now merely dredged in coastal zones. Future Deep Sea mining raises questions about its environmental impact. Some actors argue that it should be totally banned, due to environmental and economic interests. Banned or not, the mining will happen soon anyways, by new technologies. Hence, there will be considerable geopolitical consequences land dominated resource holders.
The sea areas are twice as large than the land areas. Yet 70% of all marine life is at the coastal areas until 200 meters, due to the access of sunlight. That is half our globe’s surface. Even though most land areas are claimed by nations, - most sea areas are international. Some nations have even larger sea-areas than land. Moreover, the seas are even as high, or deep, as the air volumes over the lands. Just imagine if the skies were as populated as the seas. Though, we have barely started to explore the seas and practically merely mapped the surfaces. Moreover, the seafloor is assumingly richer than the land areas. Most remarkable though, is the submarine flora and fauna. Even The most fantastic fictional tales cannot measure up with what we have seen of the lifeforms so far.
Still, the obligations of the civilized united nation are to preserve the seas, and prevent industrial damages, like we have experienced at certain lands. The SDG 14 is also closely related to the Food (SDG2) institutions (SDG17); ‘water and sanitation’ (SDG6), ‘urban sustainability’ (SDG11), ‘industry and Infrastructure’ (SDG9), ‘consumption’ (SDG12) and ‘partnerships’ (SDG17). Somehow a nice way to think of Humanity and the quality of all life, is that we certainly can act as gardeners of the seas as well as the lands. However, history proves that some global authority, like the UN, is required to prevent fatal outcomes. Yet we can harvest and farm in sustainable ways. –– if globally regulated.
There is nearly no experience in human submarine existence. Such submarine existence is almost as alien as the imaginations spun out of the sci-fi series Star Trek. In fact, the sea-pressure is far dangerous than space vacuum. Furthermore, there is the human need for air, food, fresh water, shelter, energy, exoskeleton, etc. Yet, we are still far from developing truly aquarian existence. Such might even take another century to fully develop.
Still, the deep-sea resources might be far more valuable than earthly and space resources. The new space-race for exploring and mining our Moon is minimal in comparison to the submarine enterprises to come. In fact, we know barely nothing of what states and companies have done so far, except for giant nuclear submarines, oil drilling, windfarms and massive fisheries by industrial trawlers. Still, the sea-farming seems to get its breakthrough this decade of SDGs. A question then, - why rather space than sea? The following videos might provide some ideas of why.
There are agreements on some clear UN regulations for the space and our Moon. For example, no nation can claim its own domain, no nations can establish military settlements, no nation can use nuclear weaponry. However, we know very well that there are numerous nuclear submarines and that some nations insist on expanding by extending island areas. Yet, there is no preventing legal regulation toward mining our moon or other special objects. An omen is that for example China remakes UN maps of national territories, – making Russian, Indian and other south-east coastlines their own.
Yet, there is the UN international seabed authority 1994, that regulates and control all activities for mineral mining. Now there are 19 exploratory missions for the metals. The potential just outside Mexico will alter for example the need for metals to electric car productions. However, there is practically no prevention to exploit the vast riches of the seas. Any nation or enterprise can, and will, industrialize the international seas by the crudest means of industrialization of the sea-floors.
Hence, deep sea mining can reduce the land mining, and environmental consequences considerable. It might be the best solution to most land environmental issues.
Links:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep_sea_mining#Mining_sites
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep-sea_community
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marine_life
https://edition.cnn.com/2023/08/31/india/india-china-map-protest-intl-hnk/index.html
UN Sustainable Development Goals
https://sdgs.un.org/goals
Sea https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal14
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vertical_farming
See all UU blogs at: http://bloguu.azurewebsites.net/
Music:
JoJoanna Newsom "Divers" (Official Video)
https://youtu.be/48xlgXqQKLA?feature=share
https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/joannanewsom/divers.html
The Sustainable Development Goals might conflict, - like SDG 14 ‘Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development’ - with the need for Food (SDG2); Institutional obligations (SDG17); ‘water and sanitation’ (SDG6), ‘urban sustainability’ (SDG11), ‘Infrastructure and industry’ (SDG9), ‘mass-consumption’ (SDG12) and ‘industrial partnerships’ (SDG17). These videos provide some further insight to the dilemmas ahead:
Our Planet - Coastal Seas (David Attenborough - Netflix series)
https://youtu.be/r9PeYPHdpNo?feature=shared
High Seas https://www.youtube.com/embed/9FqwhW0B3tY
Frozen Worlds https://www.youtube.com/embed/cTQ3Ko9ZKg8
Deep Sea Life and Ocean Documentaries https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_EzajUgx7Q&list=PLz58QJ68R9CTUbX9xkCm5RWDK_Dc2nwxM&index=3
Deep Sea Creatures | National Geographic Documentary https://www.youtube.com/embed/4fcG4pn_swQ
Underwater Cities in The Future https://www.youtube.com/embed/8hq_96w_OjU
Ocean Secrets Mystical and Breathtaking Underwater Worlds https://www.youtube.com/embed/bTN0CNS1JIg
Greed in the Deep, Deep Sea Mining's Destructive Plans https://www.youtube.com/embed/NSJdmZZKEoU
What is the Blue Revolution?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBVXenVpfVM