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Comparing environmental impacts of deep‐seabed and land‐based mining: a defensible framework

2024-05Journal article Restricted access
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dc.contributor.authorA. Metaxas
dc.contributor.authorAnglin, C. D.
dc.contributor.authorCross, A.
dc.contributor.authorDrazen, J.
dc.contributor.authorHaeckel, M.
dc.contributor.authorMudd, G.
dc.contributor.authorSmith, C. R.
dc.contributor.authorSmith, S.
dc.contributor.authorWeaver, P. P. E.
dc.contributor.authorSonter, L.
dc.contributor.authorAmon, D. J.
dc.contributor.authorErskine, P. D.
dc.contributor.authorLevin, L. A.
dc.contributor.authorLily, H.
dc.contributor.authorMaest, A. S.
dc.contributor.authorRamirez‐Llodra, E.
dc.contributor.authorSánchez, L. E.
dc.contributor.authorSharma, R.
dc.contributor.authorVanreusel, A.
dc.contributor.authorWheston, S.
dc.contributor.authorTunnicliffe, V.
dc.contributor.authorMestre, Nélia
dc.date.accessioned2024-09-18T14:22:56Z
dc.date.available2024-09-18T14:22:56Z
dc.date.issued2024-05
dc.description.abstractThe crises of climate change and biodiversity loss are interlinked and must be addressed jointly. A proposed solution for reducing reliance on fossil fuels, and thus mitigating climate change, is the transition from conventional combustion-engine to electric vehicles. This transition currently requires additional mineral resources, such as nickel and cobalt used in car batteries, presently obtained from land-based mines. Most options to meet this demand are associated with some biodiversity loss. One proposal is to mine the deep seabed, a vast, relatively pristine and mostly unexplored region of our planet. Few comparisons of environmental impacts of solely expanding land-based mining versus extending mining to the deep seabed for the additional resources exist and for biodiversity only qualitative. Here, we present a framework that facilitates a holistic comparison of relative ecosystem impacts by mining, using empirical data from relevant environmental metrics. This framework (Environmental Impact Wheel) includes a suite of physicochemical and biological components, rather than a few selected metrics, surrogates, or proxies. It is modified from the "recovery wheel" presented in the International Standards for the Practice of Ecological Restoration to address impacts rather than recovery. The wheel includes six attributes (physical condition, community composition, structural diversity, ecosystem function, external exchanges and absence of threats). Each has 3-5 sub attributes, in turn measured with several indicators. The framework includes five steps: (1) identifying geographic scope; (2) identifying relevant spatiotemporal scales; (3) selecting relevant indicators for each sub-attribute; (4) aggregating changes in indicators to scores; and (5) generating Environmental Impact Wheels for targeted comparisons. To move forward comparisons of land-based with deep seabed mining, thresholds of the indicators that reflect the range in severity of environmental impacts are needed. Indicators should be based on clearly articulated environmental goals, with objectives and targets that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time bound. The crises of climate change and biodiversity loss are interlinked and must be addressed jointly. A proposed solution for reducing reliance on fossil fuels, and thus mitigating climate change, is the transition from conventional combustion-engine to electric vehicles which currently requires additional mineral resources. Most options to meet this demand are associated with some biodiversity loss. One proposal is to mine the deep seabed, a vast, relatively pristine and mostly unexplored region of our planet. We present a framework that facilitates a holistic comparison of relative ecosystem impacts by mining, using empirical data from relevant environmental metrics.image.eng
dc.description.sponsorshipPTDC/CTA-AMB/2894/2021; DivRestore/0009/2020; CEECIND005262017; UID/00350/2020CIMA
dc.identifier.doi10.1111/gcb.17334
dc.identifier.issn1354-1013
dc.identifier.issn1365-2486
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10400.1/25906
dc.language.isoeng
dc.peerreviewedyes
dc.publisherWiley
dc.relationAquatic Research Infrastructure Network
dc.relationCentre for Marine and Environmental Research (CIMA)
dc.relation.ispartofGlobal Change Biology
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.subjectBiodiversity loss
dc.subjectDeep-seabed versus land-based mining
dc.subjectEcological and environmental thresholds
dc.subjectEcosystem attributes
dc.subjectEnvironmental impact wheel
dc.subjectSMART indicators
dc.titleComparing environmental impacts of deep‐seabed and land‐based mining: a defensible frameworkeng
dc.typejournal article
dspace.entity.typePublication
oaire.awardTitleAquatic Research Infrastructure Network
oaire.awardTitleCentre for Marine and Environmental Research (CIMA)
oaire.awardURIinfo:eu-repo/grantAgreement/FCT/6817 - DCRRNI ID/LA%2FP%2F0069%2F2020/PT
oaire.awardURIinfo:eu-repo/grantAgreement/FCT/6817 - DCRRNI ID/UIDP%2F00350%2F2020/PT
oaire.citation.issue5
oaire.citation.startPagee17334
oaire.citation.titleGlobal Change Biology
oaire.citation.volume30
oaire.fundingStream6817 - DCRRNI ID
oaire.fundingStream6817 - DCRRNI ID
oaire.versionhttp://purl.org/coar/version/c_970fb48d4fbd8a85
person.familyNameMestre
person.givenNameNélia
person.identifier195864
person.identifier.ciencia-idD71D-759D-F6FC
person.identifier.orcid0000-0001-6871-9984
person.identifier.ridC-1943-2009
person.identifier.scopus-author-id35237689600
project.funder.identifierhttp://doi.org/10.13039/501100001871
project.funder.identifierhttp://doi.org/10.13039/501100001871
project.funder.nameFundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
project.funder.nameFundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
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