28th International Seabed Authority (ISA) Council
Event website:
https://isa.org.jm/sessions/28th-session-2023
Dates:
July 10, 2023
–July 31, 2023
Location:
Kingston, Jamaica
Description:
The fate of deep sea ecosystems will be determined in 2023, thanks to a ticking clock that was set by the Pacific Island nation of Nauru in June 2021. In collaboration with a Canadian mining company, Nauru triggered an obscure rule that may force the International Seabed Authority (ISA) to prematurely put in place regulations for mining of the deep sea. In March 2023, the ISA failed to approve rules or regulations to oversee deep sea mining, leaving open the possibility for countries to request provisional licenses as early as July of this year. Member countries still have much to deliberate at the July 2023 meeting.
