Beneath the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean lies an unseen world: deep seabeds dotted with metal-rich nodules that some claim are vital for the green transition. As demand grows for minerals used in renewable technologies and batteries, governments and companies are increasingly turning their eyes toward the deep ocean.

In this episode, King’s College London academics Dr Ben Tippet and Dr Rowan Gard unpack the promises, pitfalls and politics of deep-sea mining. Together, they explore whether harvesting minerals from the ocean floor offers a sustainable path forward, or whether it risks repeating historical patterns of extraction and inequality.

As the world races toward net-zero goals, decisions made now will shape ocean health, community futures and global environmental justice for generations. This episode asks the question at the heart of the debate:

Do we need deep-sea mining – or do we need to reimagine our relationship with the planet?

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