The Environment Committee Komiti Taiao has initiated an inquiry into seabed mining in New Zealand, and is calling for public submissions.

This inquiry will examine the potential benefits and risks of seabed mining in New Zealand, and whether changes to New Zealand’s domestic regulatory framework are required.

Terms of reference for the select committee inquiry (issued 11 May 2023)

For the purpose of its inquiry, the committee is particularly interested in:

• an overview of seabed mining operations and proposals
• the opportunities that could arise from seabed mining in New Zealand, including through bestpractice emerging extractive technologies
• the costs and risks of seabed mining in New Zealand, including environmental impacts.
• comparison to other methods for obtaining minerals (eg land-based)
• how seabed mining is managed internationally and in New Zealand
• how domestic regulatory settings are performing, including under the Crown Minerals Act 1991, Resource Management Act 1991, and Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects) Act 2012
• whether any change to domestic regulatory settings should apply to the coastal marine area, the EEZ and extended continental shelf, or both
• the prospect of any change to domestic regulatory settings being supportive of Pacific countries in considering their own positions on seabed mining
• recommendations for maintaining or updating New Zealand’s domestic regulatory settings
• a Te Ao Māori perspective on these issues.

What do you need to know?

• Submissions are publicly released and published to the Parliament website. Only your name or organisation’s name is required on a submission. Please keep your contact details separate, as if they are included on the submission they will become publicly available when the submission is released.
• If you wish to include information of a private or personal nature in your submission you should discuss this with the clerk of the committee before submitting.
• If you wish to speak to your submission, please state this clearly.

Tell the Environment Committee what you think

Make a submission on the inquiry by 11.59pm on Friday 23rd June 2023.

By Environment Committee