Extracting cobalt, nickel and other minerals in the deep ocean beyond national jurisdiction could become a reality when countries finalize the industry’s long-awaited regulations for this new extractive activity, which has raised concerns among ocean experts and environmental organizations.

The International Seabed Authority (ISA), an autonomous United Nations organization that governs seabed mining, had set 2020 as the deadline to adopt a “mining code” that would allow companies to obtain minerals from the bottom of the ocean. But meeting that deadline seems highly difficult.

The UN organization was already forced to move its 26th session from July to October due to the coronavirus pandemic, which could delay the negotiations. For Duncan Carrie, a lawyer and member of the Deep-Sea Conservation Coalition, which holds observer status at the ISA, a deal this year is impossible.

“There are a lot of pending issues outstanding. It’s not just the regulations, but also standards and guidelines have to be created, which have only just begun,” Carrie said. “Governments only meet twice a year, so it’s difficult to move faster. Plus, working virtually has proven difficult for most.”

Conservationists argue that some of the difficulties to get the code approved lies on the fact that the ISA has dual responsibilities. When it was established by the UN, the ISA was given two mandates: to protect the international seabed from serious harm, and to develop its resources, ensuring that their exploitation benefits humankind.

Creating the regulations could also encourage the industry to start mining long before there is enough information on how operators can avoid causing serious environmental harm. That’s why many are now calling for a moratorium until all the necessary information is collected.