Deep Rising, the global initiative dedicated to protecting the seabed from deep-sea mining, has launched “The World’s Biggest Ocean Dispute,” a campaign that gives citizens around the world the chance to reclaim the Zone’s seabed. Clarion Clipperton (CCZ) on behalf of humanity. The campaign aims to make a global call to challenge the right of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) to divide and sell humanity’s common heritage for the benefit of the extractive industry.
“Seabed mining has not yet begun and we have a unique opportunity to change the course of history and stop another hugely destructive extractive industry before it causes irreparable damage to our planet,” says Matthieu Rytz, director of the environmental documentary Deep Rising, narrated and produced by Jason Momoa. “The time to act is now, to protect one of the last pristine ecosystems on Earth and safeguard our collective future,” he adds.
An ecosystem in danger
In the Clarion Clipperton Zone (CCZ), a vast deep seabed spanning more than 4.5 million square kilometers in the Pacific Ocean, three million square kilometers have been designated for potential mining exploitation, an area equivalent to the size of India that is about to become the largest mine on Earth. This decision led by the International Seabed Authority (ISA), endangers this common heritage of humanity, defined by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) as a resource that must be preserved for generations. future.
Far from being an inert wasteland, the seabed is home to essential life forms such as polymetallic nodules, which produce ‘dark oxygen’, an essential form of oxygen vital to marine life. These nodules, which take millions of years to form, are rich in nickel and cobalt, which is why pro-mining countries and mining companies have defended their usefulness as part of the future of green energy. However, the body of ocean science indicates that their extraction could have negative consequences, not only for the ocean, but for the planet since they constitute an important carbon sink, playing a crucial role in mitigating climate change. Their disappearance would not only destroy these unique ecosystems, but would exacerbate the global climate crisis.
Protect our common heritage
To address this threat, “The World’s Largest Ocean Dispute” has been launched. The campaign will divide the seabed into 8.1 billion GPS coordinates to represent every person on the planet. These coordinates will be assigned and mapped over areas of the Clarion Clipperton Zone (CCZ) designated for potential mining, a decision made by the ISA. Each person will be able to claim their unique coordinates through a state-of-the-art decentralized digital platform supported by web3 technology. By claiming the CCZ on behalf of humanity and future generations, each person becomes a guardian of the seabed.
In exchange for each request, each person will receive unique GPS coordinates. This certificate, known as DEEPSEA NFT, will be available in 90 languages, is not tradable for profit, and will be designed with deep-sea life forms. This system guarantees transparency and a low carbon footprint, using sustainable technology such as the MultiversX blockchain.
International support
The Republic of Palau, a country located at the southwestern tip of Micronesia in the Pacific Ocean made up of more than 500 islands, led by its president Surangel Whipps Jr., has joined this campaign as a key partner. «The seabed is not just a resource, it is our shared heritage, playing a fundamental role in stabilizing the planet at a time when humanity faces an unprecedented climate crisis. “Once destroyed, these ecosystems are lost forever,” says Whipps Jr.
The campaign also collaborates with global organizations and independent experts to amplify its message and educate local communities about the risks of deep sea mining.
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