Greenland’s parliament voted unanimously on Thursday, 15 October, to ask the government to draft a law banning deep-sea mining and exploration until the end of 2029. The proposal also lets the government extend the moratorium in two-year blocks. The WWF in Greenland welcomed the move as an important step in the right direction, noting that scientific knowledge about the possible effects of deep-sea mining on marine life is still limited.
Residents of the autonomous Danish territory fear the impact of deep-sea mining on the environment. Fishing is the backbone of Greenland’s economy, and hunting is vital for many local communities. At the same time, the untapped minerals buried in the island’s soil and seabed are seen as a possible route to independence from Denmark, a goal supported by most of the island’s 57,000 people. These minerals could also play a key role in new technology and defence industries.
The WWF said the decision gives Greenland a chance to send a strong signal that protecting the ocean, nature and local livelihoods must be taken seriously when facing new forms of marine resource exploitation. The vote came a day after US President Donald Trump said oil, gas and mineral extraction was about to begin in Greenland.
Greenland suspended all new oil and gas exploration permits in 2021. No industrial-scale oil or gas drilling has ever taken place there, as harsh conditions and a lack of infrastructure make operations difficult. In September, the United States signed a security agreement with Greenland and Denmark, after Trump threatened to seize the strategically important Arctic territory by force.
Referencia
Le Monde avec AFP. (2026, October 16). Le Groenland vise l’interdiction de l’exploitation minière en eaux profondes jusqu’en 2029. Le Monde. https://www.lemonde.fr/international/article/2026/10/16/le-groenland-vise-l-interdiction-de-l-exploitation-miniere-en-eaux-profondes-jusqu-en-2029_6795185_3210.html