Foremost in the wake of the UN Ocean Conference which took place last week was the issue of Deep-sea Mining (henceforth referred to as DSM for brevity) and the effects it could potentially have on the marine environment. We were dismayed to learn that Singapore is among the countries currently in favour of DSM, and we would like to address some of our concerns here. DSM is a process that involves the use of heavy machinery on the seafloor to extract minerals for commercial use and development. We acknowledge that terrestrial mining is ecologically damaging and has been associated with several human rights abuses. As it stands, the land reserves may not be able to meet future escalating demand for minerals such as cobalt, nickel and manganese, which are critical for use in many electronics such as smartphones, computers, and in particular, green technology. These minerals are essential for use in renewable energy options, such as electric car batteries and solar panels. Despite being far more challenging and potentially much more expensive, DSM is increasingly seen as an attractive solution to these issues. However, it is far from a silver bullet. Due to the many challenges involved in deep-sea exploration, the seafloor remains one of the least understood ecosystems on the planet even today. In fact, we know more about the surface of Mars than we do about our own oceans. It is believed that only a minute fraction of the species living there are known to science, and even then little else is known beyond their identities - scientists are still only beginning to understand how these species interact with one another. A major concern is that in the process of mining many of these undiscovered species will forever be lost to science. This is not a loss without consequences. Many of the microbes living in these extreme environments produce novel antibacterial compounds, which scientists are studying in the hope of developing new antibiotics to solve the issue of multi-drug resistant bacterial infections, which are on the rise and only expected to get worse with time. Furthermore, it is an ecosystem that has taken millions of years to develop, and scientists estimate that it may take approximately 50 years or so for the effects of DSM to subside. In a 2019 article published in the journal Nature , ecologist Hjalmar Thiel investigated the effects of DSM by simulating a mining operation in 1989. The effects were devastating to the site, which has not recovered even after 30 years, leading the author to remark that “The disturbance is much stronger and lasting much longer than we ever would have thought.”. As such, many scientists and conservationists are very concerned for the potential long-term impact of DSM on the marine ecosystem, and many believe that too little is known about the seabed to determine how severe these impacts may be. In addition to direct damage to the ecosystem, it is thought that the DSM process would discharge large volumes of sand and mud debris into the open sea, which could clog marine organisms’ filtration and breathing structures (such as those belonging to mussels and clams) and introduce heavy metals into the marine food chain. These may end up harming humans who depend on these animals as protein sources in the long run. The mechanical vibrations and frequencies produced by DSM technology may also contribute to noise pollution, disrupting the use of echolocation by large marine organisms like cetaceans (whales and dolphins), preventing them from effectively navigating their way towards valuable feeding sites and finding mates. As such, many are calling for a moratorium on DSM - a temporary ban until scientists are more certain of the negative impact the process will have, and are able to come up with mitigating measures to minimise damage to the environment and biodiversity. Here in Singapore, the Deep Sea Mining Act was passed in 2015 to “regulate the exploration for, and extraction of, deep seabed resources by companies sponsored by Singapore” and would ensure “responsible” extraction practices which limit the impact on the surrounding environment. In the same year, Keppel Corporation Singapore was awarded an exploration contract. In addition, Singapore has hosted the annual Asia-Pacific Deep Sea Mining Summit previously and will do so again come December 2022. We acknowledge that as part of our efforts to become net zero and a leader in green technologies, interest in DSM as a potential source of raw material for the local manufacturing industry is only natural. After all, we are a small nation with limited natural resources, and so a desire to capitalise on such a rare opportunity is certainly understandable. However, due to the potential long-term ramifications of DSM, we urge the government to err on the side of caution, lest the development leads to catastrophic effects on the environment. As we do not yet have a good grasp of the possible problems faced, we recommend that a moratorium on deep-sea exploration and expeditions are held until scientists have a clearer picture of the situation. The maxim, “first, do no harm,” rings clear. This, however, does not mean that Singapore has to put its ambitions to be a world leader in renewables on hold. There are alternatives to DSM which can be considered, all of which play to Singapore’s key strength: Innovation. This can be done through improving the efficiency of existing battery technology to minimise the amount of raw materials necessary, or via optimisation of our recycling capacity, which can allow the use of precious metals for longer periods of time and is considered far more environmentally-beneficial compared to raw extraction. With this in mind, we sincerely hope that the government takes some time to carefully consider all the evidence at present as well as alternative options before moving forward with any plans to commence mining operations. We believe that given our position as one of the most innovative cities in the world, we are able to achieve any goal we desire while also causing minimal harm to the environment. While net-zero is something we actively work towards, let us not sacrifice other aspects of the environment in order to achieve that. Sincerely, Singapore Youth Voices for Biodiversity 5 July 2022