As You Sow recently launched a Biodiversity Program in response to increasing global concern about the systemic risks to nature posed by biodiversity loss and looming ecosystem collapse. These risks include food insecurity, fresh water, clean air, climate change and the collapse of innumerable ecosystem services relied on by companies, communities and the world. The benefits of a functioning environment are at risk and shareholders are beginning to raise the alarm.

The emerging deep-sea mining (DSM) industry embodies one of the most significant new threats to intact wilderness and global biodiversity. While the clean energy transition, including electric vehicle and battery storage deployment speeds up, companies like The Metals Company seek to strip mine the seafloor for nodules with battery-related minerals. Supporters of DSM argue that mining deep-sea nodules poses fewer risks to the climate and biodiversity compared with terrestrial mining. A growing scientific consensus shows otherwise.

If only five percent of deep-sea concessions in international waters were mined, DSM may cause enormous damage to sensitive marine ecosystems as it has a much larger footprint than terrestrial mining. Studies show that DSM is likely to be devastating to marine ecosystems even if performed cautiously. Removing nodules directly removes deep-sea life habitat. Dredging obliterates seafloor life and releases sediment plumes laced with toxic metals that poison marine food chains. Studies show that deep-sea organisms are slow-growing and fragile, concluding that habitats may never recover to pre-impact states. The likelihood of biodiversity loss associated with DSM also jeopardizes fish-based livelihoods and food supplies. Just as important, industrial-scale seafloor exploitation could have grave consequences for the ocean’s ability to absorb carbon dioxide and may lead to the release of carbon stores.

In light of these findings and accompanying shareholder concerns, As You Sow is calling upon General Motors to publicly disclose its policies on the use of deep-sea mined minerals in its supply chains and urging Tesla to commit to a moratorium on sourcing minerals from DSM. Taking a stance against deep-sea mining—like several electric vehicle manufacturers (including BMW and Volvo) and 24 countries (including Canada, France, and the UK) already have—signals that the clean energy transition is possible without risking irreversible harm to some of the world’s last remaining intact ecosystems.

As You Sow is encouraging automakers to get ahead of the serious reputational, financial and regulatory risks inherent in DSM. Now more than ever, the risk of biodiversity loss and its implications for companies is top-of-mind for investors. The time is ripe to emphasize circularity and innovation over new extractive industries, recognizing that biodiversity conservation is not just a moral imperative but also a sound business strategy. Globally recognized standards are emerging for companies to measure, assess and report their impacts on biodiversity; more importantly, they can act now to reduce that impact. DSM is a critical place to start.

Elizabeth Levy
Biodiversity Program Coordinator, As You Sow