The delay follows negotiations between the Labour Party and allied parties tied to the 2026 state budget agreement. This decision means no deep-sea mining licenses will be issued before 2029. Some environmentalists describe the halt as a temporary postponement rather than a permanent ban on deep-sea mining.

Credits: PA;

Norway was the first country to greenlight deep-sea mining to extract minerals for green technologies like EV batteries. Environmental groups argue that mining could cause irreversible damage to biodiversity and ocean ecosystems, and are calling for broader protection of the deep sea.