More than 20 countries have called for a ban or moratorium on deep-sea mining ahead of Monday's opening of a nearly two-week meeting of the U.N. International Seabed Authority’s council. Companies including Samsung and BMW also have pledged to avoid using minerals mined from the deep sea. “Sea mining is one of the key environmental issues of our time, and this is because the deep sea is among the last pristine areas of our planet,” said Sofia Tsenikli, from the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition, a Netherlands-based alliance of environmental groups. But scientists and environmental groups argue that less than 1% of the world’s deep seas have been explored, and they warn that deep sea mining could unleash noise, light and suffocating dust storms. The International Seabed Authority, which is tasked with regulating deep international waters, has issued more than 30 exploration licenses.

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Persons: ”, Sofia Tsenikli, Bobbi, Jo Dobush, Emma Wilson, ” Wilson Organizations: JUAN, —, Wednesday, Companies, Samsung, BMW, Conservation Coalition, International Energy Agency, The Ocean Foundation, Authority, China, Clarion, Associated Press, ISA Locations: Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Netherlands, U.S, Hawaii, Mexico