Normative and institutional context  On 20 January 2026, the Secretary-General of the International Seabed Authority (the ‘Authority’) – the international organization established under the United Nations…

Debates around deep seabed mining (DSM) frequently focus on the question of when the International Seabed Authority (ISA) will adopt its regulations for mineral exploitation. The ISA was…

The Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction…

Established by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the International Seabed Authority (ISA) is responsible for administering resources in the Area,…

A ‘new generation’ of sponsorship agreements for deep sea mining operations between The Metals Company (TMC) subsidiaries and their sponsoring states is evolving. On May 29th, 2025 The…