Global firms back deep seabed mining suspension

Companies including Google call for processes to end.

Samsung SDI, Google and Volvo Group have put their names to a global moratorium on deep seabed mining. 

The moratorium, initiated by BMW Group and WWF, raises concerns about what it calls 'the significant risks to economies and to ocean health that would arise from opening up the deep seabed to extraction of minerals'.

A press release accompanying the announcement, says 'the signatories pledge not to source any minerals from the deep sea, and to refrain from using mineral resources from the deep sea in their supply chains and not to finance deep-sea mining activities'.