Norwegian Deep Sea Mining Program Controversy: Suspension and Impasse in the Game of Environmental Protection and Resources

Recently, the Norwegian government’s deep-sea mining program has attracted international attention. Although the country’s parliament passed a bill in January 2024 approving commercial deep-sea mining in the Arctic Circle’s roughly 280,000 square kilometers of sea and planning to issue the first exploration licenses in the first half of 2025, the plan has been “postponed” due to the influence of environmental protection groups and domestic political pressure.