REGULATING THE FINAL FRONTIER: A LEGAL ANALYSIS OF DEEP SEABED MINING UNDER UNCLOS AND THE INTERNATIONAL SEABED AUTHORITY
AUTHOR – MRS. VEENA KUMARI, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR (LAW), LAW CENTRE 2, FACULTY OF LAW, DELHI UNIVERSITY
BEST CITATION – MRS. VEENA KUMARI, REGULATING THE FINAL FRONTIER: A LEGAL ANALYSIS OF DEEP SEABED MINING UNDER UNCLOS AND THE INTERNATIONAL SEABED AUTHORITY, INDIAN JOURNAL OF LEGAL REVIEW (IJLR), 5 (14) OF 2025, PG. 978-983, APIS – 3920 – 0001 & ISSN – 2583-2344. DOI – https://doi.org/10.65393/KIFS4180
Abstract
Deep seabed mining has emerged as one of the most contested frontiers of contemporary international law. As terrestrial mineral resources face depletion and the global transition towards green technologies accelerates demand for critical minerals, attention has shifted to the ocean floor beyond national jurisdiction. This region, designated as “the Area” under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), is governed by the principle of the Common Heritage of Mankind and administered by the International Seabed Authority (ISA). However, the move from exploration to exploitation has exposed serious legal, environmental, and ethical concerns. This paper examines the international legal framework regulating deep seabed mining, with particular emphasis on UNCLOS and the institutional role of the ISA. It critically analyses the adequacy of existing rules, environmental safeguards, and benefit-sharing mechanisms, and highlights regulatory gaps that threaten marine ecosystems and global equity. The study argues that without stronger precautionary standards, transparency, and accountability, deep seabed mining risks undermining both environmental protection and the normative foundations of international ocean governance.
Keywords: Deep seabed mining, UNCLOS, International Seabed Authority, Common Heritage of Mankind, environmental law, global commons