The world is at a crossroads in managing its oceans and their vast, largely undiscovered resources. A new United Nations treaty aims to conserve marine biodiversity, even as momentum grows for mining minerals from the deep sea to fuel the transition to cleaner energy. The regions beyond national jurisdiction make up about two-thirds of Earth's surface and contain millions of species, many of which are yet to be discovered and hold potential for new medicines. Despite calls for a moratorium on mining from multiple nations and companies, the lack of a finalized international regulation on deep-sea mining poses a threat to marine ecosystems and the treaty’s success.

In 2021, Nauru set off a two-year countdown for the International Seabed Authority to finalize mining rules; however, the July 2023 deadline has passed without a solution. Formal discussions will resume next year, aiming to adopt new regulations by 2025. Meanwhile, a "Moratorium Alliance" led by Pacific island nations and supported by various companies, calls for a temporary halt on mining activities until environmental protections are in place.

The new UN treaty is significant because it provides tools for protecting vulnerable species and their habitats. It also outlines a framework for sharing benefits from marine genetic resources like new medicines. However, mining activities threaten these efforts, as they would cause sediment drifts that smother deep-sea species and destroy thousands-of-years-old habitats while polluting the ocean with waste and noise.

Arguments for the sustainability of ocean mining are misleading. Alternatives exist for cobalt and nickel-based lithium-ion batteries, making deep-sea mining potentially a poor economic decision. In light of the critical role oceans play in absorbing carbon and heat, and their contribution to human well-being and medicine, a greener, more sustainable approach is crucial to protect these irreplaceable ecosystems.