Underwater robot unfurls banner 2.3 kilometres below the surface of the Arctic Ocean, marking a record-breaking protest
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An underwater robot has set the record for the world’s deepest protest after revealing a banner saying ‘Listen to the Science!’ 2.3 kilometres (1.4 miles) below the Arctic Ocean’s surface.
The feat was achieved during a Greenpeace scientific survey of vulnerable and unexplored deep-sea ecosystems between Iceland and Svalbard.
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The banner was submerged to 2,315 metres below sea level by a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) and held up in front of a hydrothermal vent known as ‘Loki’s Castle’, located along the Arctic Mid-Ocean Ridge.
The Arctic is one of the world’s most rapidly changing regions due to climate change, and faces direct threats from the potential advent of deep-sea mining. Greenpeace is warning that these unique biodiversity hotspots, like Loki’s Castle, are at risk of irreversible disruption due to the practice. In some areas, deep sea mining could even cause the extinction of some species.
‘This marks the deepest banner protest in history, to speak for ecosystems that have no voice of their own,’ said chief scientist for the Deep Arctic Expedition at Greenpeace International, Dr Sandra Schöttner.
‘World leaders have already promised to protect 30 per cent of the oceans, now they must listen to the science and actually do it. We cannot meet our global goals if we also allow industrial exploitation of unexplored and vulnerable ecosystems in the deep sea. It is high time that leaders keep their promises and give the oceans a chance to recover.’
Loki’s Castle is a volcanic ecosystem containing active chimney-like structures that spew out fluid from deep within the ocean crust. Scientists have described the location as a ‘cradle’ of complex life that could help understand how life on Earth started.
‘By safeguarding these deep-sea ecosystems within a global network of ocean sanctuaries and establishing a moratorium on deep sea mining, we can create a resilient safety net for marine life, and protect the health of our global oceans for generations to come,’ Dr. Sandra Schöttner added.
