National Security Law Today

With great power…come great batteries. While to some they may seem like a ubiquitous technology, the fact is that batteries may very well hold the key to our energy revolution and a new electrified economy. This week, host Elisa is joined by University of Michigan battery expert Greg Less to breakdown the battery production process and how this involves the seabed. What minerals are needed to build today’s batteries, and the potential batteries of the future? Who controls the bulk of the battery supply chain? And how do we better prepare ourselves for the shift away from traditional energy infrastructure?

Greg Less is the Technical Director at the University of Michigan Battery Lab:

https://nexus.engin.umich.edu/about-us/our-team/greg-less/

Over 95% of the world’s data travels along a network of roughly 430 subsea cables. These cables, at about the thickness of a garden hose, are responsible for powering our wireless world. What happens when these cables are in harm's way? In this week’s continuation of our seabed mining series, host Elisa sits down with Kent Bressie, undersea cable industry expert, to discuss the risks of seabed mining on our communications infrastructure. What laws protect subsea cables? And in what ways are these cables vulnerable to seabed mining?

Kent Bressie is a partner at Harris, Wiltshire & Grannis, and serves as the International Law Advisor to the International Cable Protection Committee (ICPC):

https://www.hwglaw.com/team/kent-d-bressie/

If the Clarion Clipperton Zone is the next frontier for critical mineral mining, what share of the pie does the U.S. currently have? The answer may surprise you. This week, host Elisa is joined by two U.S. State Department officials, Greg O’Brien and Kate Gorove, to talk all things U.S. interests when it comes to the seabed. What laws and treaties govern the international seabed and CCZ? Are we members of the International Seabed Authority? And if not, how come?

Greg O’Brien is the Senior Oceans Policy Advisor in the Office of Ocean and Polar Affairs at the U.S. Department of State:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IMfhMbxurcKsgH6WV09wcFyW-UZw3WN6/view?usp=sharing

Kate Gorove is with the Office of the Legal Adviser for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs at the U.S. Department of State:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eKOC7-k_a04-cdGL30yV2EbwWeFKvJei/view?usp=sharing

References:

The International Seabed Authority:

https://www.isa.org.jm

United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea:

https://www.un.org/depts/los/convention_agreements/texts/unclos/unclos_e.pdf

The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea:

https://www.itlos.org/en/main/latest-news/

“Deep Seabed Hard Minerals Resources Act.” NOAA, 2002:

https://www.gc.noaa.gov/documents/gcil_dshmra_summary.pdf

“Regulations on Prospecting and Exploration for Polymetallic Nodules in the Area.” ISA, 2013:

https://isa.org.jm/files/files/documents/isba-19c-17_0.pdf

In our fourth installment of the seabed mining series, we loop back with Scott Segal, co-chair of the Policy Resolution Group at Bracewell LLP, for the second half of his perspective on seabed mining as a future source of critical minerals. As an industry professional, in Scott’s eyes the issue is a no-brainer; the global benefits of seabed mining are impressive, and, as he puts it, “No form of getting minerals is without any form of tradeoff.” Yet, co-hosts Elisa and Yvette ask him hard-hitting questions: What is The Mining Company’s end goal? Won’t this impact our subsea cable infrastructure? And is the value of the deep sea ecosystem, particularly for use in pharmaceuticals, being considered?

Scott Segal is the co-chair of the Policy Resolution Group at Bracewell LLP:

https://bracewell.com/people/scott-h-segal

In our third chapter of the Seabed Mining as a National Security Threat series, we welcome back Matt Gianni, Co-Founder, Political and Policy Advisor for the Deep Sea Conservation Commission, to hear the second part of his perspective on mining the deep seabed. Matt further explains the risks involved with mining the CCZ, signaling out the legal gray areas that have not yet been addressed by the International Seabed Authority. Additionally, do we have access to alternative mineral types that could replace the need to mine the seabed? How will climate change forecasts affect mineable zones in the future? And what can be done to avoid environmental calamity if seabed mining moves forward?

Matthew Gianni is the Co-Founder, Political and Policy Advisor for the Deep Sea Conservation Commission:

http://www.savethehighseas.org/about-us/board-of-directors/matthew-gianni/

To learn more about the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition:

http://www.savethehighseas.org

FILM: In Too Deep:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUCk_THAPNQ

Batteries require minerals, a fact many of us forget. In our second installment of the Seabed Mining as a National Security Threat series, co-hosts Elisa and Yvette sit down with Scott Segal, co-chair of the Policy Resolution Group at Bracewell LLP. Scott’s experience representing major companies in the renewable energy field includes The Metals Company, a Canadian mining startup and a major player in the race to mine the Clarion Clipperton Zone (CCZ). Scott joins us to provide an industry perspective on seabed mineral mining, starting from the ground up. What are Polymetallic Nodules and how are they mined? Where does the U.S. currently source minerals needed to make batteries? And apart from the mining of these minerals, does the U.S have the ability to produce batteries or does that infrastructure lie in the hands of foreign adversaries?

Scott Segal is the co-chair of the Policy Resolution Group at Bracewell LLP:

https://bracewell.com/people/scott-h-segal

In our first episode of the Seabed Mining as a National Security Threat series, co-hosts Elisa and Yvette welcome on Matthew Gianni, Co-Founder, Political and Policy Advisor for the Deep Sea Conservation Commission. With over 30 years experience in marine conservation, Matt breaks down the fundamentals of seabed mining with a focus on the Clarion Clipperton Zone (CCZ). What laws and treaties govern the CCZ? And why is it of strategic interest to our allies and enemies alike?

Matthew Gianni is the Co-Founder, Political and Policy Advisor for the Deep Sea Conservation Commission:

http://www.savethehighseas.org/about-us/board-of-directors/matthew-gianni/

Seabed Mining as a National Security Threat is a five-part series on the national and global security risks of deep sea mining. The ocean floor contains vast quantities of minerals critical for powering today’s technologies, from rechargeable batteries to advanced defense applications. The Clarion Clipperton Zone is ground zero, as companies and countries alike race to stake claim over this new mining frontier. Yet the potential for environmental damage is great––scraping the ocean floor to extract rare minerals could destroy deep sea habitats, dismantle ocean ecosystems, and dig us into far worse problems than supply and demand. In this series we’ll discuss the laws of mining the sea, who’s getting involved, the private sector’s role, and what a seabed mining future might look like for a fragile planet earth.

It’s a new year for national security law! To kick things off, co-hosts Elisa and Yvette dive into the latest international topics, from advanced Russian missile testing, to developments on the Horn of Africa, tensions in the Red Sea, and the announcement of our upcoming series on the world of seabed mining and its importance to national security law.

The second largest country in Africa, Sudan, recently experienced a coup. This is the second upset to Sudan’s ruling structure in less than 36 months. This week, co-hosts Elisa and Yvette are joined by Darin Johnson, professor of law at Howard University, who helps unpack these recent developments in Sudan while continuing our series on the strategic importance of the Horn of Africa. Why should Americans take interest in Sudan? What is Sudan’s history with international terrorism as well as counterterrorism operations? And what does the future hold for the U.S.-Sudan relationship?

Darin Johnson is a professor of law at Howard University:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1IquHYEY-7F0O6FZ70wQn9ueqAGpuWP9i/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=115287310253365681610&rtpof=true&sd=true

Part 2 of 2 – The Tigray War in Ethiopia, which began in November of last year, has killed thousands, displaced millions, and has fueled a devastating humanitarian crisis in the region. This week, co-hosts Elisa and Yvette are joined by Cameron Hudson of the Atlantic Council to discuss the latest developments in this ongoing civil war. What approach is the Biden administration taking to address this crisis? And what actions could draw the U.S. further into the conflict?

Cameron Hudson is a Nonresident Senior Fellow with the Atlantic Council’s Africa Center:

https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/expert/cameron-hudson/