Norway has paused its controversial plan to open its seabed to commercial-scale deep-sea mining.
Oslo companies plan to mine 280,000 square km (108,000 square miles) of its water for precious metals – an area larger than the size of the UK.
The move was blocked after the country’s Socialist Left Party said it would not support the government’s budget unless the first licensing round, scheduled for 2025, is cancelled.
Environmental scientists have warned the move could be catastrophic for marine life, but the plans have been opposed by 32 countries, including France, Canada, Brazil and Germany.
Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoer called Sunday’s development a “postponement” and said preparatory work on regulations and environmental impact would continue.
Haldis Tjeldflot Helle of Greenpeace Norway said the break was a “huge victory”.
“It is truly embarrassing to watch Norway position itself as an ocean leader, when it plans to give the green light to marine destruction in its own waters.”
The country’s energy ministry has yet to respond.
Norway became the first country in the world to proceed with commercial-scale deep-sea mining when it approved plans in January.
The deep sea is home to minerals such as lithium, scandium and cobalt – crucial for green technologies.
Although metals are available on Earth, they are concentrated in a small number of countries, increasing supply risk.
Oslo has said it does not want to rely on China for such materials, stressing that it will only start issuing permits after more environmental research is done.
The move put Norway at odds with the EU and the UK, which have called for a temporary ban on the practice due to concerns about environmental damage.
More than 100 EU lawmakers called on Oslo to reject the plan, citing risks to “marine biodiversity and the acceleration of climate change”.
The country’s Marine Research Institute criticized the government’s research into the environmental impact of the move – saying another five to 10 years of work was needed.
World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Norway said In a statement Last week it filed a lawsuit against the government over the plans.
At least three Norwegian seabed mineral start-ups have said they will bid in the first licensing round.
On Monday, one of the start-ups – Green Minerals – said it expected a delay of up to a year after suspending projects.
