Climate Politics

A Fraught Election Just Reshaped the Next Steps for Deep Sea Mining

A Brazilian oceanographer was named secretary-general of the International Seabed Authority, which is tasked with completing regulations around mining the seabed for minerals used in EV batteries.

Greenpeace activists confront workers on a boat conducting deep sea mining research. The Metals Company, which is conducting the research, has sued the activist organization.Photographer: Martin Katz/Greenpeace

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By Todd Woody

August 2, 2024 at 6:59 PM UTC

Updated on

August 2, 2024 at 8:43 PM UTC

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A Brazilian oceanographer has been elected the next secretary-general of the International Seabed Authority, a leadership change that could slow the rush to strip-mine deep sea ecosystems for electric vehicle battery metals.

When Leticia Carvalho takes office on Jan. 1, she’ll become the first woman and the first scientist to helm the United Nations-affiliated organization responsible for the fate of 54% of the world’s seabed. A former environmental regulator in Brazil, Carvalho, 50, currently serves as an official at the UN Environment Programme in Nairobi.