number of factors, including atmospheric change, re-
source extraction and pollution; 
(2) The United Nation’s 2030 Agenda for Sus-
tainable Development, launched by the 2015 UN 
Summit in New York established Sustainable Devel-
opment Goal 14 (SDS 14), to conserve and 
sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine re-
sources. Target 2 of SDS 14 commits States to 
sustainably manage marine ecosystems to avoid sig-
nificant adverse impacts and strengthen their resil-
ience. 
(3) The international marine scientific and pol-
icy consensus is that deep seabed mining presents a 
major risk to the marine environment, including: the 
direct loss of unique and ecologically important spe-
cies; large sediment plumes that will negatively af-
fect ecosystems well beyond the actual mining sites; 
noise pollution that will cause physiological and be-
havioral stress to marine species; likely contamina-
tion of commercially important species of food fish; 
and likely negative impacts on carbon sequestration 
dynamics and deep-ocean carbon storage. 
(4) The United Nations Convention on Biologi-
cal Diversity, 15th Conference of Parties, Decision 
15/24 encourages member States to ensure that, be-
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fore deep seabed mineral exploitation is permitted, 
the related impacts on the marine environment and 
biodiversity are sufficiently researched and the risks 
to the marine ecosystem are sufficiently understood, 
and sufficient regulation and conditions be imposed 
to ensure that exploitation does not cause harmful 
effects to the marine environment and biodiversity. 
(5) The 2022 United Nations Environment 
Programme Financial Initiative report on deep sea-
bed mining states that the financing of such activi-
ties is not consistent with Sustainable Blue Economy 
Finance Principles. 
(6) There is currently insufficient scientific in-
formation on the deep sea and related marine eco-
systems to fully and accurately assess the full risks 
and impacts of deep seabed mining activities. 
(b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that— 
(1) no deep seabed mining should occur in the 
international seabed area unless and until adoption 
by the International Seabed Authority of a full and 
binding regulatory framework in accordance with the 
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, 
in particular Article 145 of the Convention; 
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(2) there is currently insufficient scientific un-
derstanding of, and an absence of consensus on, the 
extent of the risks and impacts of deep seabed min-
ing on ocean and related ecosystems; 
(3) a regulatory framework should only be 
adopted by the International Seabed Authority on 
the basis of a comprehensive scientific understanding 
of, and consensus on, the potential risks and impacts 
of deep seabed mining on ocean ecosystems and 
communities and activities reliant on ocean eco-
systems, including fisheries, indigenous peoples and 
coastal communities; 
(4) such a comprehensive scientific under-
standing and consensus should only be developed on 
the basis of sufficient scientific baseline information 
on the full impacts of deep seabed mining on marine 
and related ecosystems; and 
(5) no deep seabed mining should be permitted 
in the international seabed area unless it is con-
ducted in a manner and under a clear and enforce-
able regulatory framework that effectively protects 
the marine environment from harmful effects, does 
not pose a risk to communities reliant on ocean eco-
systems and prevents damage to the flora and fauna 
of the marine environment consistent with the obli-
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gations in Article 145 of the United Nations Con-
vention on the Law of the Sea and relevant global 
commitments for the conservation and sustainable 
use of the marine environment. 
(c) IN GENERAL.—The President shall, until such 
time as the President submits to the appropriate congres-
sional committees a certification described in subsection 
(d) and a report described in subsection (e), direct the 
United States representative to each relevant international 
organization to which the United States is a member or 
observer to take such actions as may be necessary to use 
the voice, vote, and influence of the United States in such 
organization to— 
(1) call for a moratorium on the permitting of 
deep seabed mining and exploration for deep seabed 
mining; and 
(3) oppose investments in or other financing or 
support of deep seabed mining and exploration for 
deep seabed mining. 
(d) CERTIFICATION.—A certification described in this 
subsection is a certification that— 
(1) deep seabed mining regulations have been 
promulgated by the International Seabed Authority; 
and 
(2) such regulations— 
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(A) are informed by the scientific con-
sensus on impacts to ocean ecosystems; and 
(B) will ensure the effective protection of 
the marine environment from the harmful ef-
fects of deep seabed mining. 
(e) REPORT.—A report described in this subsection 
is a report that includes the following: 
(1) The details of the deep seabed mining regu-
lations promulgated by the International Seabed Au-
thority as described in subsection (d). 
(2) The scientific consensus on the risks and 
impacts of such regulations on ocean ecosystems and 
communities reliant on ocean ecosystems. 
(3) The methods by which such regulations en-
sure the effective protection of the marine environ-
ment from harmful effects of deep seabed mining 
pursuant to subsection (b)(4). 
Æ 
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