Deep sea mining permits may be coming soon. What are they and what might happen?

Coral on Moore Reef is visible in Gunggandji Sea Country off coast of Queensland in eastern Australia on Nov. 13, 2022. The United Nations body that regulates the world’s ocean floor is preparing to resume negotiations in July 2023, that could open the international seabed for mining, including for materials vital for the green energy transition. Conservationists worry that ecosystems will be damaged by mining, especially without any environmental protocols. (AP Photo/Sam McNeil, File)