The 27th session of the Assembly of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) in Kingston, Jamaica saw nations deliberating over the fate of deep-sea mining. While some countries called for a pause on exploitation plans, others stressed that the process should not be rushed.
About International Seabed Authority (ISA)
International Seabed Authority (ISA) which has its headquarters in Kingston, Jamaica, came into existence on 16 November 1994, upon the entry into force of UNCLOS.
The ISA is an autonomous international organization established under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
ISA has the mandate to ensure the effective protection of the marine environment from harmful effects that may arise from deep-seabed related activities.
In accordance with article 156 (2) of UNCLOS, all States Parties to UNCLOS are ipso facto members of ISA. As of 1 May 2020, ISA has 168 members, including 167 member States and the European Union.
What is Mining Code?
ISA is an intergovernmental body under the United Nations responsible for developing a “mining code” — a set of rules, regulations and procedures for exploring and exploiting minerals in the international seabed area.
It is also tasked with protecting the marine environment from the potential impacts of deep-sea mining.
The “Mining Code” refers to the whole of the comprehensive set of rules, regulations and procedures issued by ISA to regulate prospecting, exploration and exploitation of marine minerals in the international seabed Area, or the “Area” (defined as the seabed and ocean floor and subsoil thereof beyond the limits of national jurisdiction).
All rules, regulations and procedures are issued within the general legal framework established by UNCLOS, in particular its Part XI on the Area, and its 1994 Agreement relating to the implementation of Part XI of UNCLOS. ISA has adopted three sets of exploration regulations covering the prospecting and exploration for:
- Polymetallic nodules (2000 and revised in 2013)
- Polymetallic sulphides (2010)
- Cobalt-rich ferromanganese crusts (2012)
The regulations are supplemented by a series of recommendations for the guidance of contractors and sponsoring States issued by the Legal and Technical Commission (LTC) and periodically updated.
