Environmental impact assessment procedure for deep seabed mining in the area: Independent expert review and public participation

With the fast rising sector of deep seabed mining, and the increasing number of exploration contracts in the international area of the deep seabed, the International Seabed Authority (ISA) is urged to adopt the exploitation regulations for its Mining Code, which will include processes and procedures for environmental impact assessment (EIA). While trying to put in place such a mechanism, the ISA will be confronted with key challenges due to its structure and decision-making process as an international organisation. This paper introduces the legal grounds and implementation issues of two elements that can be identified as good practice for EIA: the review by independent experts and the participation of the public.