UN experts said Monday that Norway’s decision to stop issuing deep-sea mining licenses until at least the end of 2029, and to withhold all public funds for such activities, marks a major advance for ocean protection, environmental integrity, the cultural identity of Indigenous peoples, and human rights.

The statement from a group of UN Special Rapporteurs and Independent Experts praised the “precautionary pause” on deep-sea mineral exploitation. Norway’s move delays a previously planned licensing round scheduled for 2026, aligning the country with over 40 other nations calling for a moratorium due to scientific uncertainty and environmental risks.

Experts said that the decision is a model for upholding state duties under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and for implementing the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, recognized by the UN General Assembly. They cited the landmark 2024 advisory opinions from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) on nations’ climate obligations, stating:

Norway’s decision aligns with the precautionary principle, and with the State’s obligation under international law to protect the environment and the climate system, as concluded recently by the ICJ and ITLOS advisory opinions.

The endorsement, while a significant moral and legal validation, is still a temporary victory in a longer regulatory battle. It supports a time-bound pause until 2029 but does not constitute a permanent ban, which leaves the fundamental conflict between exploitation and conservation unresolved and up for future political debate.

Proponents of rapid resource extraction and advocates for the precautionary principle are at odds over the future of the deep seabed. Mining companies and some governments see polymetallic nodules as a critical source of minerals for the green transition. UN experts, scientists and environmental groups have warned that mining could cause irreversible damage to one of Earth’s last pristine ecosystems, a major carbon sink, and the cultural heritage of coastal and Indigenous communities.

The decision’s ultimate impact depends on whether it galvanizes a permanent international ban or robust regulatory treaty. Subsequent developments will depend on actions of other mining-ready nations, progress of independent scientific assessments, and pressure on the International Seabed Authority to establish inviolable protection standards.