Deep-sea mining maybe step closer to reality
The tiny Pacific nation of Nauru has created shock waves by demanding that the rules for deep-sea mining be agreed upon in the next two years.
Environmental groups warn that this will lead to a destructive rush on the mineral-rich seabed "nodules" that are sought by the mining companies.
But United Nations officials overseeing deep-sea mining say no venture underwater can start for years.
So what's causing concern?
It's all about a letter that refers to the small print of an international treaty that has far-reaching implications.
Nauru, an island state in the Pacific Ocean, has called on the International Seabed Authority - a UN body that oversees the ocean floor - to speed up the regulations that will govern deep-sea mining.
It's activated a seemingly obscure sub-clause in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea that allows countries to pull a 'two-year trigger' if they feel negotiations are going too slowly.
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