In June of 2021, the country of Nauru invoked the "two-year rule" of the International Seabed Authority (ISA), the intergovernmental body tasked with governing the mining of minerals in international waters. In doing this, they have expressed their intent to apply for an exploitation permit in the summer of 2023, giving the ISA two years to complete its mining regulations. After years spent crafting this rulebook, it finally has a deadline; the possibility of seabed mining commencing is more imminent than ever before. 2021 conference speakers will discuss various components of the seabed mining debate, including ecology, moratoriums, ISA governance, and the energy transition.
For more information, visit the 2021 conference webpage here.