Gxumela Ngaphansi Komkhathi: Isingeniso Sezimayini Ezijulile Zase-Seabed

Izimayini ezijulile zolwandle (i-DSM) imboni yezohwebo engase ibe khona ezama ukumba izimbiwa phansi kusukela phansi olwandle, ngethemba lokukhipha amaminerali abalulekile ngokwentengiso afana ne-manganese, ithusi, i-cobalt, i-zinc, nezinsimbi zomhlaba eziyivelakancane. Kodwa-ke, lezimayini ihlelelwe ukucekela phansi i-ecosystem echumayo nexhumene esingethe uxhaxha lwezinhlobonhlobo zezinto eziphilayo: ulwandle olujulile.

Amadiphozithi amaminerali enzalo atholakala ezindaweni ezintathu ezihlala phansi olwandle: amathafa alashayo, izintaba zasolwandle, kanye nezikhala ezishisayo ezishisayo. Amathafa ase-Abyssal ama-expases aphansi ojulile ongaphansi kolwandle ambozwe yinhlabathi kanye nama-mineral deposits, abuye abizwe ngokuthi ama-polymetallic nodules. Lezi yizimpokophelo zamanje ze-DSM, ngokunaka okugxilwe ku-Clarion Clipperton Zone (CCZ): isifunda samathafa alasha ngobubanzi njengezwekazi lase-United States, esitholakala emanzini omhlaba wonke futhi sisuka ogwini olusentshonalanga yeMexico kuya maphakathi nezwe. iPacific Ocean, eningizimu nje yeziQhingi zaseHawaii.

Ingozi Olwandle kanye Nolwandle Olungaphezu Kwalo

I-DSM yezohwebo ayikaqali, kepha izinkampani ezahlukahlukene zizama ukwenza kube yiqiniso. Izindlela ezihlongozwayo zamanje zokumbiwa kwama-nodule zihlanganisa ukuthunyelwa kwe imoto yezimayini, ngokuvamile umshini omkhulu kakhulu ofana nogandaganda omude onezitezi ezintathu, ukuya phansi kolwandle. Lapho isingenile olwandle, imoto izokhipha ama-intshi amane phezulu olwandle, ithumele inzika, amadwala, izilwane ezichotshoziwe namaqhuqhuva kukhuphukele emkhunjini okulindile phezulu. Emkhunjini, amaminerali ayahlungwa futhi udaka lwamanzi angcolile asele (ingxube yenhlabathi, amanzi, nama-ejenti okucubungula) abuyiselwa olwandle nge-plume yokukhipha. 

I-DSM kulindeleke ukuthi ibe nomthelela kuwo wonke amazinga olwandle, kusukela ezimayini ezibonakalayo kanye nokugxusha phansi kolwandle, ukuya ekulahleni udoti phakathi namanzi, kuya ekuchithekeni kodaka olungaba nobuthi olwandle. Izingozi zemvelo ejulile yolwandle, impilo yasolwandle, amagugu amasiko angaphansi kwamanzi, kanye nekholomu yonke yamanzi avela e-DSM ziyahlukahluka futhi zibucayi.

Ucwaningo lubonisa ukuthi izimayini ezijulile zolwandle zizodala ukulahlekelwa okungenakugwenywa kwezinhlobonhlobo zezinto eziphilayo, futhi ngithole ukuthi umthelela onguziro unetha awutholakali. Ukulingiswa kwemithelela engokomzimba elindelwe evela ezimayini zasolwandle kwenziwa ngasogwini lwasePeru ngeminyaka yawo-1980. Lapho isiza sibuyekezwa ngo-2015, indawo yabonisa ubufakazi obuncane bokululama. 

Kukhona futhi i-Underwater Cultural Heritage (UCH) esengozini. Ucwaningo lwakamuva luyabonisa anhlobonhlobo amagugu amasiko angaphansi kwamanzi oLwandlekazini i-Pacific kanye nasezifundeni zezimayini ezihlongozwayo, okuhlanganisa izinto zobuciko kanye nemvelo ehlobene namagugu amasiko oMdabu, uhwebo lwaseManila Galleon, kanye neMpi Yezwe II.

Ikholomu ye-mesopelagic, noma i-midwater, izophinde izwe imithelela ye-DSM. Izinhlaka zenhlabathi (ezaziwa nangokuthi izivunguvungu zothuli ezingaphansi kwamanzi), kanye nomsindo nokungcoliswa okuncane, kuzothinta ingxenye enkulu yekholomu yamanzi. Izinsika, zombili ezivela emotweni yezimayini kanye namanzi angcolile aphuma ngemva kokukhipha, zingasabalala Amakhilomitha angu-1,400 ezindaweni eziningi. Amanzi angcolile aqukethe izinsimbi nobuthi angase athinte imvelo ephakathi namanzi kanye nezindawo zokudoba.. 

I-“Twilight Zone”, elinye igama le-mesopelagic zone yolwandle, iphakathi kwamamitha angama-200 kanye ne-1,000 ngaphansi kwezinga lolwandle. Le ndawo iqukethe ngaphezu kuka-90% we-biosphere, esekela izindawo zokudoba eziphathelene nezohwebo kanye nokuvikeleka kokudla okuhlanganisa i-tuna endaweni ye-CCZ ezihlelelwe ukumbiwa. Abacwaningi bathole ukuthi inzika ekhukhulekayo izothinta izinhlobonhlobo zezindawo ezihlala ngaphansi kwamanzi kanye nezilwane zasolwandle, okubangela ukucindezeleka ngokomzimba kumakhorali olwandle ajulile. Izifundo nazo ziphakamisa amafulegi abomvu mayelana nokungcoliswa komsindo okubangelwa imishini yezimayini, futhi kubonisa ukuthi izinhlobonhlobo zama-cetaceans, okuhlanganisa nezinhlobo ezisengozini yokushabalala njengama-blue whale, zisengozini enkulu yokuba nemithelela engemihle. 

Ngokwindla ka-2022, i-The Metals Company Inc. (TMC) yakhululwa i-sediment slurry ngqo olwandle ngesikhathi sokuhlolwa komqoqi. Kuncane kakhulu okwaziwayo mayelana nemithelela yodaka uma ibuyiselwe olwandle, okuhlanganisa ukuthi yiziphi izinsimbi nezisebenzeli zokucubungula ezingase zixutshwe odongeni, uma kungaba nobuthi, nokuthi kungaba namiphi imiphumela ezilwaneni ezihlukahlukene zasolwandle nezinto eziphilayo eziphilayo. ngaphakathi kwezingqimba zolwandle. Le mithelela engaziwa yokuchitheka kwe-slurry igqamisa indawo eyodwa izikhala zolwazi ezibalulekile ezikhona, ezithinta ikhono labenzi benqubomgomo ukudala izisekelo zemvelo ezinolwazi kanye nemikhawulo ye-DSM.

Ukubusa Nokulawula

Ulwandle kanye naphansi kolwandle kulawulwa ngokuyinhloko I-United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), isivumelwano samazwe ngamazwe esinquma ubudlelwano phakathi kwamazwe nolwandle. Ngaphansi kwe-UNCLOS, izwe ngalinye linegunya eliqinisekisiwe, okungukuthi ukulawula kukazwelonke, phezu kokusetshenziswa nokuvikelwa - kanye nezinsiza eziqukethwe ngaphakathi - amamayela okuqala angama-200 olwandle ukuya olwandle ukusuka ogwini. Ngaphezu kwe-UNCLOS, umphakathi wamazwe ngamazwe uvumile ngoMashi 2023 esivumelwaneni esiwumlando mayelana nokubusa kwalezi zifunda ezingaphandle kwendawo yomthetho kazwelonke (ebizwa ngokuthi i-High Seas Treaty noma isivumelwano se-Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction “BBNJ”).

Izifunda ezingaphandle kwamamayela angama-200 we-nautical wokuqala zaziwa kangcono njenge-Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction futhi ngokuvamile ebizwa ngokuthi "izilwandle eziphakeme". Indawo engaphansi kolwandle nengaphansi kolwandle, eyaziwa nangokuthi "Indawo," ilawulwa ngokukhethekile yi-International Seabed Authority (ISA), inhlangano ezimele eyasungulwa ngaphansi kwe-UNCLOS. 

Kusukela kwasungulwa i-ISA ngo-1994, inhlangano kanye namazwe angamalungu ayo (amazwe angamalungu) anikezwe umsebenzi wokwenza imithetho nemithethonqubo ephathelene nokuvikela, ukuhlola, nokuxhashazwa komhlaba ongaphansi kolwandle. Nakuba iziqondiso zokuhlola nokucwaninga zikhona, ukuthuthukiswa kwemithetho yezimayini ezimba kanye nokuxhashazwa kwahlala isikhathi eside kungasheshi. 

NgoJuni 2021, isiqhingi sasePacific iNauru saqala ukuhlinzekwa kwe-UNCLOS iNauru ekholelwa ukuthi idinga ukuthi imithetho yezimayini iqedwe ngoJulayi 2023, noma ukugunyazwa kwezinkontileka zezimayini zezentengiselwano ngisho nangaphandle kwemithethonqubo. Abaningi Amazwe Angamalungu e-ISA kanye Nababukeli bakhulume ukuthi lesi sihlinzekelo (ngezinye izikhathi esibizwa ngokuthi “umthetho weminyaka emibili”) asiyibophi i-ISA ukuthi igunyaze ukumba izimayini. 

Izifundazwe eziningi azicabangi ukuthi zibophekile ekuhloleni izimayini ze-greenlight, ngokusho pukuthunyelwa okutholakala ngokusobala kwengxoxo ka-March 2023 lapho amazwe ayexoxa ngamalungelo kanye nezibopho zawo ezihlobene nokugunyazwa kwenkontileka yezimayini. Noma kunjalo, i-TMC isaqhubeka nokutshela abatshalizimali abathintekayo (kuze kube ngumhla zingama-23 kuNdasa wezi-2023) ukuthi i-ISA iyadingeka ukuthi ivume isicelo sabo sokumba izimayini, nokuthi i-ISA isendleleni yokwenza lokho ngo-2024.

Ukungafihli, Ubulungiswa, kanye Namalungelo Abantu

Abangase babe ngabavukuzi batshela umphakathi ukuthi ukuze kukhishwe ikhabhoni, kufanele siphuce umhlaba noma ulwandle, njalo ukuqhathanisa imiphumela emibi ye-DSM ezimayini zasemhlabeni. Akukho okukhombisa ukuthi i-DSM izothatha indawo yezimayini zasemhlabeni. Eqinisweni, kunobufakazi obuningi bokuthi ngeke. Ngakho-ke, i-DSM ngeke idambise amalungelo abantu kanye nokukhathazeka kwe-ecosystem emhlabeni. 

Azikho izithakazelo zezimayini zasemhlabeni ezivumile noma ezithembise ukuvala noma ukunciphisa ukusebenza kwazo uma omunye umuntu enza imali ngokumba izimbiwa phansi olwandle. Ucwaningo olwenziwe yi-ISA uqobo lwathola ukuthi I-DSM ngeke ibangele ukukhiqizwa ngokweqile kwezimbiwa emhlabeni jikelele. Izazi zikuphikisa lokho I-DSM ingagcina ibhebhethekisa izimayini zasemhlabeni nezinkinga zayo eziningi. Ukukhathazeka, ngokwengxenye, ukuthi “ukwehla kancane kwamanani entengo” kungase kwehlise izinga lokuphepha nokuphathwa kwemvelo ezimayini ezisekelwe emhlabathini. Naphezu kwe-facade yomphakathi ekhanyayo, ngisho ne-TMC iyavuma (kwi-SEC, kodwa hhayi kuwebhusayithi yabo) ukuthi “[i] ngeke futhi ngikwazi ukusho ngokuqondile ukuthi ingabe umthelela wokuqoqwa kwamaqhuqhuva ezinhlobonhlobo zezinto eziphilayo emhlabeni jikelele uzoba mkhulu kangakanani kunalawo alinganiselwa ezimayini ezisekelwe emhlabathini.”

Ngokusho kwe-UNCLOS, ulwandle kanye nemithombo yalo yezimbiwa ifa elivamile lesintu, futhi ube yingxenye yomphakathi womhlaba. Ngenxa yalokho, umphakathi wamazwe ngamazwe kanye nabo bonke abaxhumene nolwandle lomhlaba bangabambiqhaza olwandle kanye nomthethonqubo owulawulayo. Ukucekela phansi ulwandle kanye nezinhlobonhlobo zezinto eziphilayo ezindaweni ezingaphansi kolwandle kanye ne-mesopelagic zone kuwukukhathazeka okukhulu kwamalungelo abantu kanye nokuvikeleka kokudla. Kunjalo ukuntuleka kokufakwa ohlelweni lwe-ISA kubo bonke ababambiqhaza, mayelana namazwi aboMdabu kanye nalabo abaxhumene namasiko phansi olwandle, intsha, kanye neqembu elihlukahlukene lezinhlangano zezemvelo kubandakanya nabavikeli bamalungelo abantu bezemvelo. 

I-DSM iphakamisa izingozi ezengeziwe ku-UCH ephathekayo nengaphatheki, futhi ingase ibangele ukucekelwa phansi kwezindawo zomlando nezamasiko ezibalulekile kubantu nasemaqenjini amasiko emhlabeni jikelele. Izindlela zokuhamba, ukulahlekelwa umkhumbi kusuka eMpini Yezwe II kanye iPhasi Eliphakathi, futhi izinsalela zabantu zisakazeke kabanzi olwandle. Lawa ma-artifact ayingxenye yomlando wethu esabelana ngawo womuntu futhi basengozini yokulahleka ngaphambi kokuba batholakale ku-DSM engalawulwayo. 

Intsha kanye nabantu boMdabu emhlabeni wonke bakhuluma ukuze bavikele ukujula kolwandle ekuxhashazweni okungekho emthethweni. I-Sustainable Ocean Alliance ihlanganyele ngempumelelo nabaholi bentsha, kanye nabantu boMdabu basesiqhingini sasePacific kanye nemiphakathi yendawo bephakamisa amazwi abo ekusekeleni ukuvikela ukujula kolwandle. Emhlanganweni wama-28 we-International Seabed Authority ngoMashi 2023, Abaholi bomdabu basePacific icele ukuthi kufakwe aboHlanga ezingxoxweni.

Ibiza i-Moratorium

Ingqungquthela ye-United Nations Ocean yango-2022 yabona umfutho omkhulu wokumiswa kwe-DSM, nabaholi bamazwe aphesheya abanjengo-Emmanuel Macron. esekela ucingo. Amabhizinisi ahlanganisa i-Google, i-BMW Group, i-Samsung SDI, ne-Patagonia, asayine kuwo isitatimende seWorld Wildlife Fund ukusekela ukumiswa. Lezi zinkampani ziyavuma ukuthi zingawatholi amaminerali e-deep ocean, zingayixhasi i-DSM ngezimali, futhi zikhiphe lezi zimbiwa ezinkampanini zazo zokuhlinzeka. Lokhu kwamukelwa okuqinile kokumiswa komkhakha webhizinisi nentuthuko kukhombisa ukuthambekela ekusetshenzisweni kwezinto ezitholakala olwandle kumabhethri nezinto zikagesi. I-TMC ivumile ukuthi i-DSM ingase ingabi nanzuzo, ngoba abakwazi ukuqinisekisa ikhwalithi yezinsimbi futhi - ngesikhathi sokukhishwa - kungase kungadingeki.

I-DSM ayidingekile ukuze uguqukele kumafutha ezinto ezimbiwa phansi. Akulona utshalomali oluhlakaniphile futhi oluzinzile. Futhi, ngeke kuphumele ekusatshalalisweni ngokulinganayo kwezinzuzo. Umaki oshiywe olwandle yi-DSM ngeke ube mfishane. 

I-Ocean Foundation isebenza nozakwethu abahlukahlukene abahlukahlukene, kusukela ezindlini zomhlangano kuya emililo evuthayo, ukuze kuliwe nokulandisa okungamanga nge-DSM. I-TOF iphinde yeseke ukwanda kokubandakanyeka kwababambe iqhaza kuwo wonke amazinga engxoxo, kanye nokumiswa kwe-DSM. I-ISA iyahlangana manje ngoNdasa (landela umfundi wethu UMaddie Warner ku-Instagram yethu njengoba ehlanganisa imihlangano!) futhi futhi ngoJulayi - futhi mhlawumbe no-Okthoba 2023. Futhi i-TOF izoba khona kanye nabanye ababambiqhaza abasebenza ukuvikela ifa elivamile lesintu.

Ingabe ufuna ukufunda okwengeziwe mayelana ne-deep seabed mining (DSM)?

Bheka ikhasi lethu locwaningo elisanda kubuyekezwa ukuze uqalise.

Buka Ikhasi