TIS Motion on Seabed Mining Passed at the IUCN World Conservation Congress

TIS submitted a motion on seabed mining to the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Jeju, Korea last month.

The final motion was entitled “Protection of the deep ocean ecosystem & biodiversity from the threats of sea bed mining”  

Co-sponsors (supporters) of the TIS motion were: Tonga Community Development Trust, University of the South Pacific, National Trust of Fiji Islands, Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand Inc., The Environment and Conservation Organisations of NZ Inc and the Nature Conservation Council of New South Wales

The motion was accepted by the Resolution Working Group and was merged with a similar motion submitted by Agence des Aires Marines Protégées – France. In the end, the scope of motion went from Pacific Ocean to include all ocean ecosystems.  The motion was passed with support from Government members  (95.5% voted yes) and NGO members (99.56% voted yes).