International Seabed Authority Responds to Trump Plan

The International Seabed Authority has issued a statement following the announcement that deep-sea mining firm The Metals Co has asked the Trump administration to approve its plans to mine the international seabed.

This would make it the first such company to seek the government's permission to operate outside U.S. territorial waters, and it comes after a US Executive order “Unleashing America’s Offshore Critical Minerals and Resources” which was issued on April 24.

Leticia Reis de Carvalho Secretary-General of the International Seabed Authority, said: “The issuance of an Executive Order by the Government of the United States regarding deep-seabed mineral resources raises specific concerns because while the Order primarily addresses domestic political and policy matters, its reference to applicability in areas beyond national jurisdiction becomes a matter of the rule of law within the global ocean governance framework known as UNCLOS (the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea); concerns made more severe by the fact that the recent permit request is for mining in the deep sea outside of the jurisdiction of the United States.

“Its issuance is also surprising because for over 30 years the US has been a reliable observer and significant contributor to the negotiations of the