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Protecting the Deep Sea

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Building global support to stop deep-sea mining

The deep ocean is one of Earth’s last great frontiers. Home to unique ecosystems, species found nowhere else, and communities whose cultures and livelihoods are connected to the sea, the deep ocean plays a vital role in the health of our planet.
Yet this fragile environment is facing a new threat: the rush to open the seabed to industrial deep-sea mining.

Protecting the Deep is RISE UP’s campaign to build political support for a moratorium or precautionary pause on deep-sea mining. Through collaboration across Africa, the Caribbean and other regions, we are working to ensure that decisions about the future of the ocean are shaped by science, justice and the voices of communities.
Colorful reef with purple sea fans and orange and yellow sponges.
95%
of the ocean's living space is in the deep sea — most of it still unexplored and unprotected
Why It Matters

Irreversible damage to ecosystems we barely understand

Deep-sea mining could cause irreversible damage to ecosystems that have developed over millions of years. Scientists continue to raise concerns about the potential impacts of removing seabed materials, creating sediment plumes, disrupting habitats and affecting marine life that we are only beginning to understand.

At the same time, governments are negotiating the rules that will determine whether deep-sea mining moves forward.

The decisions being made today will shape the future of one of the planet’s most important ecosystems. Without strong coordination and public participation, industrial interests risk dominating the conversation.

Protecting the deep ocean requires a precautionary approach, one that recognizes scientific uncertainty, protects biodiversity and respects the rights and knowledge of communities connected to the ocean.
What We're Doing

Advocating for strong safeguards at the ISA and beyond

RISE UP is supporting global advocacy for a moratorium on deep-sea mining by supporting collaboration, knowledge exchange, and political engagement.

We work with partners to:

  • Build regional alignment across Africa and the Caribbean around precautionary approaches to deep-sea mining.
  • Support engagement with governments and decision-makers ahead of key international negotiations.
  • Develop shared statements, declarations, and advocacy messages.
  • Provide resources, tools, and capacity-building support for campaigners and communities.
  • Strengthen collaboration and information sharing across our network.
  • Elevate grassroots, Indigenous and community leadership in global ocean discussions.
  • Coordinate strategic engagement at International Seabed Authority meetings.

RISE UP in action

RISE UP IN ACTION

Strengthening Caribbean leadership on deep-sea protection

2026 · Caribbean
As international discussions on deep-sea mining continue, Caribbean countries are particularly important to the debate. The region is closely connected to the ocean environmentally, culturally and economically, while key decisions on deep-sea mining are being negotiated through the International Seabed Authority (ISA), headquartered in Jamaica.

Ahead of the ISA meeting in Jamaica in March 2026, RISE UP convened a regional conversation on Caribbean leadership in deep-sea protection, bringing together perspectives on deep-sea mining, integrated ocean management and the BBNJ Agreement.

The discussion explored opportunities for greater regional coordination around a precautionary moratorium on deep-sea mining and how Caribbean perspectives can inform wider international ocean governance processes.

At the center of this work is a simple principle: decisions about the future of the deep ocean should be informed by science, precaution, Indigenous and community knowledge, and the people and regions connected to the ocean.
Watch the webinar
Case RISE UP IN ACTION

Asia Workshop on BBNJ Implementation (Chennai, 2024)

Together with the High Seas Alliance and the Bay of Bengal Programme (BoBP), we convened a two-day regional workshop in Chennai, India.

Titled “From Ratification to Implementation: Challenges and Opportunities for the Conservation and Management of the High Seas in South and Southeast Asia”, the workshop strengthened understanding of the BBNJ Agreement and supported regional preparedness for implementation.

Participants explored governance gaps, capacity needs and opportunities for coordinated regional action.
RISE UP IN ACTION

Our Ocean Conference (Busan, 2025)

At the Our Ocean Conference in Busan, South Korea, RISE UP and the High Seas Alliance co-hosted a high-level event on the High Seas Treaty.

The event highlighted the importance of sustained political momentum and showcased commitments from countries including the Republic of Korea and Panama, reinforcing global readiness for implementation ahead of the UN Ocean Conference.

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