The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Norway has sued the Norwegian government for licensing deep-sea mining on the Arctic seabed, arcticuniverse.com reports.
WWF believes that the strategic impact assessment conducted by the Ministry of Energy, which formed the basis for the government's decision to open sites in the first half of 2025, does not meet the minimum legal requirements of the Minerals Act on the seabed, which makes this illegal.
"This lawsuit is not about whether we should engage in deep-sea mining on the seabed, but about the level of knowledge that politicians should have before they make important decisions with potentially catastrophic consequences," said WWF Norway CEO Karolina Andaur.
Norway, which is currently one of the first countries in the world to open up to the nascent industry, has been sharply criticized for the licensing process both by its own environmental authorities, national and international research communities, and on the international stage.
"Indeed, it is difficult to understand why the government decides to endanger Norway's nature and international reputation by continuing this irresponsible and hasty process," Andaur concluded.
Earlier it was reported that Norway government has decided to postpone licensing of deep-sea mining.
Alex Shishlo, Editor in Chief of the European Bureau, Rough&Polished
