CALL TO PAUSE DEEP-SEA MINING DELIVERED TO ISA SECRETARY-GENERAL AT UNOC 2025

Call to pause deep-sea mining delivered to ISA Secretary-General at UNOC 2025. 350,000 Citizens and 160+ Organisations call for Deep-Sea Mining Moratorium at UN Ocean Conference.

On Wednesday, 11 June, during the UN Ocean Conference in Nice, Farah Obaidullah, director and founder of The Ocean and Us met with Madam Leticia Carvalho, Secretary-General of the International Seabed Authority (ISA), to formally deliver two key expressions of civil society concern regarding the future of the deep ocean in areas beyond national jurisdiction:

The Deep-Sea Mining Declaration

Calling for a moratorium on deep-sea mining, this declaration reflects the collective voice of civil society committed to protecting one of Earth’s most fragile and least understood ecosystems.

To date, 162 organisations from 30 countries have endorsed this call—spanning business, arts and culture (including museums and art centres), sports, non-profit organisations, schools and academia, women-focused groups, and fisheries associations.
These voices—diverse in sector, geography, and perspective—are united in their concern over the irreversible harm that deep-sea mining could inflict on our ocean.

The Say No to Deep-Sea Mining Petition

Signed by nearly 350,000 individuals worldwide—and still growing, this petition represents broad and diverse public opposition to the start of deep-sea mining.

“Given the dire state of our living world on which we all depend, we simply cannot afford to open up the global ocean to deep-sea mining. Global resistance — from concerned citizens around the world and across sectors — is clear, we must pause and protect our shared heritage.“ – Farah Obaidullah, director and founder of The Ocean and Us.

The materials were submitted as a constructive contribution to the ongoing international dialogue on the governance of the ocean’s common heritage. The Ocean and Us emphasises the importance of transparency, precaution, and intergenerational responsibility as guiding principles in all decisions concerning the deep seabed.

The organisation urges the International Seabed Authority and its Member States to take this growing expression of civil society concern into account and to ensure that future decisions contribute to a legacy of protection—rather than exploitation—of the deep ocean.

“The High Seas represent one of the last truly wild spaces on Earth — a shared heritage of all humanity and all beings, both now and for generations to come. Yet, we are in a moment of profound crisis. Over two-thirds of global wildlife is already gone. The climate emergency is accelerating this loss, destabilising the natural systems that sustain us — including the deep ocean, which regulates climate, captures carbon, and supports planetary life. If allowed to proceed, deep-sea mining will cause irreversible harm to deep ocean ecosystems, release carbon stored over millennia, and undermine the resilience of our ocean just when we need it most. Now more than ever, we must uphold the principle of the global commons, and act through international law to protect what belongs to us all.“ – Farah Obaidullah, Director and Founder of The Ocean and Us.

The ISA Chief Executive thanked The Oceans and Us for sharing the Declaration and explained that her “position is that the best way to protect the ocean is to have rigorous regulations.” She noted the organisation’s focus on supporting women in ocean action and explained that she is using the term, Madam Secretary-General, “to highlight the importance, and rarity, of women at the helm of ocean leadership.”

About THE OCEAN AND US

The Ocean and Us is registered in the Netherlands with a mission to secure healthy oceans for the sake of human survival and wellbeing, and as a moral duty to all living beings. It believes that in order to accelerate ocean solutions, the diversity of people working around the world for the ocean must be promoted.

About FARAH OBAIDULLAH – A Global Ocean Advocate at UNOC 2025

Farah Obaidullah is one of the leading voices for ocean advocacy and a tireless force in the global marine conservation movement. Raised in The Netherlands, Gabon, and the UK, Farah developed a profound connection to the sea—snorkelling in her youth, rescuing marine life, and pursuing ocean studies before becoming a Senior Oceans Campaigner at Greenpeace. With over 20 years of experience, she has championed critical issues such as destructive fishing, labour abuses at sea, and illegal fishing practices.

Today, she is the founder of Women4Oceans, a global platform uniting over 5,000 women across 70 countries, and The Ocean and Us, a non-profit dedicated to bridging the gap between people and the ocean’s vital role in sustaining life on Earth. Farah’s latest initiative, The Ocean Hope Expedition, aims to build a global coalition to prevent deep-sea mining and inspire collective action rooted in hope and justice.

Farah’s unique perspective: her global activism, interdisciplinary approach, and commitment to diversity and inclusion in marine conservation. She is not just fighting for the ocean but also empowering people—especially women and marginalised communities—to be part of the solution. Farah sees ocean conservation as a human rights issue, recognising the deep connections between the ocean, coastal communities, climate justice, and social equity.

Farah is a key participant at the UN Ocean Conference (UNOC) in Nice, representing The Ocean and Us and presenting the growing momentum behind the Deep-Sea Mining Declaration and global petition. Her participation is spotlighting the risks facing the High Seas and the communities that depend on them, while offering bold and actionable solutions for ocean protection.

As an International Gender Champion, she is amplifying these efforts through a series of speaking engagements focused on advancing women-led ocean governance and the critical role of gender equity in ocean leadership.

“What gives me hope is the courage of people doing whatever it takes to protect our only home. We must make that courage contagious!” – Farah Obaidullah.

Left: Farah Obaidullah – Right: Leticia Carvalho – Photo credit: Ashley Bowes – The Ocean and Us