In a significant victory for the global Greenpeace campaign to stop seabed mining, Norway is stopping the first licensing round for deep sea mining in Arctic waters, which Greenpeace says puts pressure on the Luxon government to follow suit.

Greenpeace spokesperson Juan Parada says, "This move by Norway to stop the seabed mining in its tracks is a historic win for ocean protection and for the growing movement opposed to the damaging new extractive industry, and puts the spotlight firmly on the Luxon government to do the same."

In January 2024, the Norwegian government opened its Arctic waters to deep sea mining across an area equivalent to the size of Italy, but after resistance grew across civil society and the fishing industry, the government agreed to stop the first licensing round for at least the whole of 2025.

"This decision by Norway puts even more pressure on the Luxon government not to be the first in the world to allow commercial seabed mining to take place in its waters.

"Millions of people across the world are now calling on governments to resist the dire threat of seabed mining to safeguard oceans worldwide and one by one they are listening.

"The Luxon government needs to read the room, listen to the growing opposition and put an end to the Australian-owned mining company Trans-Tasman Resources’ destructive plans to mine the South Taranaki Bight," says Parada.

Last week, Greenpeace activists, along with representatives of Taranaki iwi Ngāti Ruanui, disrupted the annual general meeting of Manuka Resources, the owners of TTR.

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