Despite the mobilization of NGOs around the world, Norwegian MPs have said yes to deep-sea mining in an Arctic area as large as Italy.
In Norway, and not in Sweden as previously indicated by mistake, despite international mobilization, Parliament finally said yes, on Tuesday, to seabed mining in the Arctic.
On the day of the vote, many environmental activists gathered in Oslo to denounce this bill deemed dangerous and harmful for the planet. A petition calling for the law to be scrapped had collected hundreds of thousands of signatures around the world.
In vain: Norwegian MPs voted to open an area almost as large as Italy to underwater mining in the Arctic.
Norway becomes the first country in the world to authorize this practice on the high seas on a commercial scale.
The area is located in the Arctic, between Svalbard, Greenland, Iceland and Jan Mayen.
The law will now accelerate the hunt for precious metals, which are in high demand for green technologies.
Environmental scientists have warned it could be devastating for marine life.
The project concerns Norwegian waters, but an agreement on mining in international waters could also be reached this year.