Portugal makes history as first country to ban deep-sea mining

Portugal has officially become the first country in the world to ban deep-sea mining in its waters.

The moratorium, which took effect this Tuesday, ensures the protection of Portugal’s marine ecosystems from the potentially devastating impacts of underwater resource extraction until 2050.

The law, signed by President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa on March 21, was published in the official government gazette Diário da República on Monday. Parliament approved the measure on March 14, with backing from parties such as PAN, PSD, Livre, and PS. Only CHEGA and Iniciativa Liberal (IL) voted against it.

While Portugal is the first country to implement such a ban, some territories across the world have already enforced similar restrictions. In July 2024, Hawaii became the fourth US state along the Pacific Coast to ban deep-sea mining.

Tiago Pitta e Cunha, president of the Executive Commission of the Oceano Azul Foundation, has highlighted the importance of Portugal’s decision.

“Portugal is the first country to put this into law – the first in Europe to establish a deep-sea mining moratorium until 2050. This is especially important because laws hold more weight than parliamentary resolutions. Simply put, this moratorium can only be overturned by passing a new law,” he explained in an interview with UN News.

By promulgating the legislation, President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa has ensured that Portugal’s position on deep-sea mining is locked in and cannot be easily reversed without a formal parliamentary process, he added.

“Portugal is in the middle of a political crisis, and elections are coming up, and I’m sure that the next government, whichever one it is, won’t be able to change the country’s position on the moratorium on deep-sea mining, because it can only be changed by a new law in parliament,” added Pitta e Cunha.

The potential dangers of deep-sea mining have been highlighted by institutions around the globe. According to the World Resources Institute (WRI), the science to date paints a “concerning picture” about its impacts, which range from direct impact on marine life, long-term species and ecosystem disruption and possible impacts on fishing and food security to economic and social risks and potential climate impacts.

Multiple scientific studies show that the ocean floor plays a crucial role in regulating the climate and absorbing carbon.

“What happens on the ocean floor doesn’t stay on the ocean floor; it has negative repercussions not only in the water column but throughout the entire ocean system,” warns Pitta e Cunha.

Mineral extraction can cause significant disruption to marine sediments, which trap heat and help regulate global warming. Disturbing these layers could release vast amounts of stored carbon, further worsening the climate crisis.

Water column contamination is also a major concern for fishing and food security.

“Beyond disturbing the ocean floor sediments and causing biodiversity loss, there is a massive sediment plume that contaminates the water column,” Pitta e Cunha explains, “affecting 20% of the protein consumed by humans worldwide.”

Whether Portugal’s decision to ban deep-sea mining will have wider repercussions remains to be seen, but Pitta e Cunha is hopeful that other countries may be inspired to follow its example. He also hailed Portugal’s growing commitment to ocean protection.

“Portugal hosted the world’s largest ocean conference, the UN Ocean Conference in 2022, co-hosted with Kenya. This conference marked a major step forward in the multilateral ocean agenda,” explained Pitta e Cunha. According to the executive president of the Oceano Azul Foundation, over the past three years, more marine protection decisions have been made than in the previous three decades combined.

Despite this progress, Portugal still faces challenges in creating a cohesive foreign policy for the oceans. “Portugal doesn’t have a comprehensive foreign policy for the ocean, and without this, it lacks the mechanisms to influence decisions made by other member states,” Pitta e Cunha warned.

Portugal’s decision comes at a time when US President Donald Trump is reported to be taking a completely opposite stance to deep-sea mining. According to Reuters, the White House is weighing an executive order that would fast-track permitting for deep-sea mining in international waters and let mining companies bypass a United Nations-backed review process. The news agency cites “two sources with direct knowledge of the deliberations.”