Deep Day 2026: Southeast Asian Lawmakers Call for a Moratorium on Deep-Sea Mining

JAKARTA, 7 May 2026—ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR), united in our commitment to environmental stewardship, social and climate justice, and sustainable development, raises grave concern over the growing pressure to advance deep-sea mining activities in both international and regional waters.

The deep ocean is one of the least understood ecosystems on Earth. It is home to extraordinary biodiversity, much of which remains undiscovered, and plays a critical role in regulating the global climate, storing carbon, and sustaining marine food webs upon which millions of our citizens depend. The potential consequences of industrial-scale extraction in these fragile environments are profound, irreversible, and not yet fully understood.

Scientific evidence increasingly warns that deep-sea mining could cause widespread and long-lasting damage to marine ecosystems, including habitat destruction, species disruption, sediment plumes affecting vast areas, and noise and light pollution in ecosystems. These risks threaten our shared ocean resources.

From an ASEAN perspective, the stakes are particularly high. The seas of Southeast Asia form one of the most biologically rich and economically vital marine regions in the world. Coral reefs, mangroves, and deep-sea ecosystems underpin food security, coastal protection, and livelihoods for hundreds of millions of people. ASEAN Member States are home to communities that are acutely dependent on marine resources, including small-scale fishers and coastal populations whose resilience is already strained by climate change, overfishing, and pollution.

ASEAN Member States have made important commitments to strengthening ocean governance, advancing sustainable development, and achieving global biodiversity and climate goals. ASEAN Member States are parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and have endorsed the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, while also ratifying the Paris Agreement and committing to national climate action. Most importantly, during the 47th ASEAN Summit 2025, we reaffirmed our commitment to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment with the ASEAN Declaration on the Right to a Safe, Clean, Healthy and Sustainable Environment.

“The oceans connect our nations, sustain our economies, and define our shared future. Decisions taken in international forums must reflect not only global ambitions but also regional realities and vulnerabilities. We have a duty to act with caution, foresight, and responsibility for the future generations,” said Mercy Chriesty Barends, Member of Indonesian Parliament and Chairperson of APHR.

In this context, moving forward with deep-sea mining without sound scientific understanding, effective environmental safeguards, and meaningful community consultation would risk undermining these commitments and exposing vulnerable communities to unintended harm.

APHR echoes and joins the moratorium/precautionary pause call made by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations Human Rights Rapporteurs and the Parliamentarians for Global Action.

In light of these concerns, APHR calls for:

• An immediate moratorium on all deep-sea mining activities, including exploration and exploitation, until robust, independent scientific research can fully assess environmental, social, and economic impacts.
• A precautionary, science-based approach to ocean governance that prioritizes ecosystem integrity and the rights and livelihoods of coastal and indigenous communities.
• Strengthened regional cooperation within ASEAN, ensuring that Member States adopt a unified position to protect marine biodiversity and uphold international environmental commitments.
• Greater transparency and public participation in decision-making processes related to ocean governance, including the inclusion of civil society, scientists, and affected communities.
  Investment in sustainable alternatives, including resource efficiency, recycling technologies, and innovations that reduce dependence on mineral extraction.

APHR urges the International Seabed Authority, its member states, and other non-member states to support a moratorium on deep-sea mining and to commit to protecting the integrity of our oceans and the communities who depend on them.

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