Environmental activists to protest deep sea mining in Jamaica

Loop Jamaica | 22 July 2019

Greenpeace International environmental activists will visit Jamaica on Tuesday, July 23, to protest against deep sea mining in the island’s territorial waters, the Jamaica Environment Trust (JET) has announced.

The environmental activist group will reportedly sail to the Kingston Harbour and dock outside the International Seabed Authority (ISA) annual meeting, where they will deploy a six-metre banner saying “No to deep sea mining, protect our oceans” and call on governments to agree on a strong Global Ocean Treaty that would protect the oceans from industrial exploitation.

Greenpeace’s ship, the Esperanza, sailed to Jamaica direct from the so-called Lost City in the mid-Atlantic, that is under threat after the ISA granted an exploration contract in the region. Scientists warn that deep sea mining could cause irreversible and inevitable harm to marine life, including extinctions of species, and drive the climate crisis by disrupting ‘blue carbon’ stores in the seabed. 

Greenpeace will be joined by the JET and several other representatives of Jamaican civil society groups in the protest.

2 Comments

Filed under Environmental impact, Mine construction

2 responses to “Environmental activists to protest deep sea mining in Jamaica

  1. Richard Manfredi

    It is hard to understand how deep sea mining could effectthe sea bed more than underwater volcanic eruptions , earthquakes with or without tsunamis, hurricanes , and other violent acts of nature.
    Any disturbance of the seabed floor will be repaired by gravity , that is why

  2. Richard Manfredi

    Wow ! Who pays for these long sea voyages and ships ? What is their angle ?

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