Should we mine the deep ocean?

From The Climate Question by BBC World Service

May 24, 2026 · 23 min

About this episode

The episode discusses the debate over deep-sea mining for critical minerals and its environmental implications.

In the global race for critical minerals - could the seabed provide solutions? Or should we leave these metal-rich environments undisturbed? Governments and mining companies around the world are on the hunt for the critical minerals we need for the green tech transition. And there’s growing interest in an unlikely source – potato-shaped nodules that are found kilometres below the surface of our oceans. These polymetallic nodules contain high levels of elements like cobalt, nickel, manganese and copper. Supporters of deep-sea mining say that harvesting them might be less damaging to the environment than mining on land. But many scientists support a moratorium; they say industrial activity on the seabed could damage the biodiversity of a fragile part of our planet. The BBC’s Climate and Science Reporter Georgina Rannard has been following the deep-sea mining debate for five years. She chats to Hosts Graihagh Jackson and Jordan Dunbar. Got a question or comment? Email us at theclimatequestion@bbc.com Production team: Simon Watts, Graihagh Jackson, Diane Richardson, Melanie Stewart-Smith Sound Engineers: Jonny Hall and Tom Brignell Production Coordinator: Brenda Brown Editor: Simon…

People in this episode

Hosts: Graihagh Jackson, Jordan Dunbar

Topics covered

deep-sea mining
critical minerals
environmental impact
biodiversity
green technology

Keywords

deep ocean
mining
polymetallic nodules
cobalt
nickel
environment
biodiversity
green tech

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: BBC World Service