Jinfeng Zhou’s Post

🌊 Big news from Norway! 🌊 The Norwegian government has paused plans to open the Arctic seabed for mining. This decision, driven by pressure from the Socialist Left Party and #WWF, is a critical moment for environmental stewardship. With their success, there will be no announcement of licenses for seabed mineral activities in 2025. This is a fantastic development—but let’s not sit back. This is just a PAUSE not a FULL STOP🚧 How can we talk about sustainability goals and achieving net-zero targets if we keep finding new ways to extract resources from the Earth at the cost of its majesty, diversity, and resilience? 🌎 Biodiversity is life itself. It is the foundation of our ecosystems and the source of countless benefits that sustain us. Mining the Arctic seabed would have unconscionable consequences for fragile marine life and the global fight against climate change. This pause is a step in the right direction, but the conversation is far from over. We must hold the line and continue advocating for sustainable alternatives that respect our planet's boundaries. 💚 #Sustainability #Biodiversity #StopDeepSeaMining #NetZero

🌿Happy International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples! According to the UN, “Developments for agriculture, mining, tourism, and natural resources in their territories is resulting in the deforestation of swathes of Indigenous Peoples’ forests, disrupting their way of life and destroying the natural environment that they have protected for generations.” Read more: https://t.co/XFiFkZ8nyN Steady encroachment on Indigenous land rights, including for energy transition infrastructure developments, has prompted pushback from impacted communities. We’ve covered some of these stories on #NewSecurityBeat, highlighting protests around hydrogen infrastructure in the Norwegian Arctic, the impact of mineral mining on Indigenous groups in Latin America, and how to center Indigenous knowledge in climate responses. As we celebrate Indigenous Peoples today, we recognize more needs to be done to acknowledge the value of these communities’ relationship to the environment and their land. #IndigenousPeoples #UN #landrights #climatejustice Check out some of our related work on #NewSecurityBeat below ⬇️ 1️⃣ Climate Security and Critical Minerals Mining in Latin America: How Can Business Help? https://buff.ly/4cBa37b 2️⃣ A Land Grab or a Boon for Communities: Renewable Hydrogen in the Norwegian Arctic https://buff.ly/4degr5a 3️⃣ Centering Indigenous Knowledge in Climate Response https://buff.ly/4dCTVmh

MINING LEADERS COMMIT TO SUPPORT A NATURE POSITIVE FUTURE In a post that I published several days ago I stated that "a successful energy transition can only be achieved if we deal adequately with unsustainable and irresponsible mining practices which threaten to perpetuate environmental degradation and social inequalities." With this message still resonating in my head, I came across a very inspiring position statement today that was recently (Jan. 17) made by the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) regarding the need to take urgent action to halt and reverse nature loss, which is vital to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and reaching global decarbonization targets. "With responsibly produced minerals and metals playing a critical role in advancing global sustainable development goals, ICMM members, representing a third of the global industry, have pledged that meeting this demand for critical materials must not be at the expense of nature. Our Nature: Position Statement signifies a collective promise to contribute to a nature positive future across our areas of influence." ‘Nature positive by 2030’ refers to halting and reversing biodiversity loss by 2030 from a 2020 baseline, through measurable gains in the health, abundance, diversity and resilience of species, ecosystems, and natural processes. ICMM's new commitments have been set out in a 5-point plan for nature: * Protect and conserve pristine areas of our natural environment: No mining or exploration in World Heritage Sites and respect all legally designated protected areas. * Halt biodiversity loss at our operations: Achieve at least no net loss of biodiversity at all mine sites by closure against a 2020 baseline. * Collaborate across value chains: Develop initiatives and partnerships that halt and reverse nature loss throughout supply and distribution chains. * Restore and enhance landscapes: Around operations through local partnerships, including with Indigenous Peoples, land-connected peoples and local communities. * Catalyse wider change: Acting to change the fundamental systems that contribute to nature loss and fostering opportunities for nature’s recovery. This is the kind of leadership the industry requires in these challenging times.  And these are the type of commitments that help me remember why I joined the industry in the first place. Now, Let's Walk the Talk! https://lnkd.in/e4KT56Fp

Critical minerals extraction and the rights of Indigenous Peoples, a discussion to be followed closely by all of us.

I am profoundly troubled by the challenges confronting Arctic indigenous homelands, exacerbated by the climate crisis, mining operations, and heightened shipping activities in the region, as emphasized by WWF. The Arctic, once revered as an unspoiled wilderness, is now experiencing swift environmental transformations, resulting in the depletion of crucial carbon reserves. Of particular concern is the looming threat posed by deep sea mining, which gravely jeopardizes the intricate equilibrium of this fragile ecosystem. As an aspiring ecologist, I am fervently committed to tackling these urgent issues and championing sustainable solutions that prioritize the safeguarding of Arctic indigenous territories and the diverse biodiversity they harbor. #ProtectArctic

Excellent article about the ecological consequences of the rush to mine the deep seabed for resources needed for "green" technologies. As we stand at the brink of this new frontier, we must choose a path that reflects our responsibility to the planet and future generations. "Our current trajectory – one of endless extraction and consumption – is both unsustainable and morally indefensible. Instead of plunging into the abyss in search of resources, we need to cultivate a culture that values quality over quantity, repair over replacement, and conservation over consumption.   The call to action is clear: we urgently need bold policies with ambitious material footprint reduction targets to shift business as usual."

As COP16 Colombia concluded, we call on world leaders not to forget the deep. Honoring the commitments made 20 years ago, we urge governments to finish the job and take immediate action to effectively #DefendTheDeep from destructive practices like bottom trawling and #DeepSeaMining. The recent events from New Zealand (where a bottom trawler caught 37kg of coral in the biodiversity-rich area of Lord Howe Rise, prompting the suspension of all fishing in the area) and the Nordics (where the Nordic Council adopted a resolution calling for a moratorium on deep-sea mining) only show that protection of the deep sea is needed more than ever. Read our full statement and recap of #COP16Colombia ➡️ https://lnkd.in/e7WXPK8B

The "green" energy transition is widely regarded as the solution to climate change. However, in many cases, transitional practices are causing environmental harm and human rights violations. In the Atacama Desert in the north of Chile, mineral extraction has caused water drainage, impacting the ancestral homeland of the Lickan Antay Indigenous Peoples. The loss of water has led to the loss of resources and has forced Indigenous Peoples to relocate. Indigenous activists are still seeking justice in this region. Cases like this make it important to address how we can ensure a transition that is truly clean and just. Read the full case study via Cultural Survival. #SIRGECoalition #JustTransition #IndigenousRights #IndigenousPeoples #FreePriorAndInformedConsent #Environment #EnvironmentalJustice #FPIC #HumanRights #Mining #MiningImpacts #Chile #CulturalSurvival

#ForestsForLife Partner Rainforest Foundation Norway together with WWF Verdens naturfond, NICFI - Norway's International Climate and Forest Initiative and Norad - Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation launch new report at the New York Climate Week #NatureHub: „Forest-Rich Extractives: A Global Geospatial Institution“. The report provides actionable #data that can improve financial institution engagement right down to the asset level. Key Insights from the report: 📊 21% of active commercial mines are located within 1 km of a forest. 🌱 Nearly 300,000 km2 of active mining concessions overlap with intact forests. 280,000 of those have been granted since 2022. Note: this is after the Glasgow commitments 😒 Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/gv3xE2ST #WithNature #NatureAction #ClimateAction #ClimateWeekNYC #NatureConservation

The disproportionate impact of mineral extraction on Native lands and communities can’t be ignored. As we move toward a clean energy future, we must ensure that the same injustices aren’t repeated. It’s time for a just, sustainable transition that uplifts Indigenous voices. 🌍💚 #ClimateWeek2024 #IndigenousClimateJustice #CleanEnergyForAll