Chris-Michael: The ocean is commonly described as a place that we know less about than deep space. But what we do know is how important the oceans are to life on Earth. He says if deep sea mining goes ahead, it will be impossible to stop. "We have never gone into a pristine environment and made it better," he adds. 'Many people are saying that we need to draw a line in the sand'
As the International Seabed Authority gathers in Jamaica to thrash out regulations for mining the deep sea, Chris Michael of the Guardian’s Seascape team gives Ian Sample the background to this highly contested decision. Ian also hears from the marine biologist Dr Diva Amon about why some scientists are sounding the alarm. Help support our independent journalism at
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