#12 The Rising Stakes of Ocean Mining

As the world accelerates its transition to clean energy, a new scramble for critical minerals is unfolding deep beneath the oceans. Deep-sea mining promises access to metals essential for the future — but risks disrupting ecosystems we barely understand. Companies, countries, and conservationists are now locked in a global debate over how, when, and whether to exploit these new frontiers. The outcome will shape not only environmental futures but the geopolitics and economics of a rapidly changing world.