New laws to ensure deep-sea mining is undertaken responsibly have been adopted by the Federal Parliament of Belgium. These measures, approved by Minister of the North Sea Paul Van Tigchelt and Minister of Economy Pierre-Yves Dermagne, bolster the country’s position as a Blue Leader and pioneer of responsible seabed mineral extraction.

The bill makes it clear that the extraction of seafloor minerals—which could play an important role in the global transition to clean energy—must be guided by science and data and carried out in a careful manner with a view to preserving the marine environment. GSR Managing Director Kris Van Nijen commented: “GSR wholeheartedly agrees with and supports this balanced approach, and we welcome Belgium’s new bill, which provides a regulatory foundation for continuing our investigations into the responsible development of marine minerals.”

GSR’s sponsoring state, Belgium, is one of 169 members of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) working on the development of the Mining Code and the environmental standards and guidelines for mineral extraction from the international seabed area. During ISA sessions, Belgium has called for sufficient scientific knowledge to assess impacts on the marine environment, a strong international regulatory framework, and for work to be done to protect 30% of the ocean by 2030.

Paul Van Tigchelt, Belgian Minister of the North Sea, said: “Belgium recognizes the potential importance of deep-sea mining for the economy, but is equally committed to ensuring that these activities are carried out in a responsible manner, with respect for the marine environment.” (translated)