As the world shifts from fossil fuels to electric vehicles (EVs), The Los Angeles Times has an interesting story about the emerging unintended environmental consequences. They look at the issue is deep sea mining, which threatens vast ocean ecosystems to obtain metals essential for EV production. These metals, such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, and copper, are found in polymetallic nodules on the ocean floor. Mining companies are targeting the Clarion Clipperton Zone in the Pacific Ocean, a region rich in these nodules and home to diverse and largely unknown marine life.

Environmentalists warn that deep-sea mining could cause irreversible damage. These ecosystems, characterized by low light, cold temperatures, and high pressure, recover slowly from disturbances. Sediment plumes from mining activities can spread over vast distances, disrupting marine life and food chains far beyond the mining site.

California has proposed a law to mitigate the need for deep-sea mining by promoting sustainable practices and recycling. In the Los Angeles Times article, environmentalists urge that instead of destroying our ocean floor, we should focus on maximizing the use of existing materials and developing greener technologies.