This top marine scientist is resolute in addressing the unclear future of deep-sea mining.

• Leticia Carvalho, a Brazilian marine scientist, will become the first woman, oceanographer, and person of Latin American heritage to lead the International Seabed Authority.
• The ISA, a U.N. regulator, oversees both the exploitation and conservation of an area that covers around 54% of the world's oceans.
• The appointment of Carvalho coincides with a period of intense discussion regarding the future of deep-sea mining and the world's oceans.

Leticia Carvalho, a Brazilian marine scientist of Latin American heritage, will become the first woman and oceanographer to lead the International Seabed Authority, and she is thrilled about it.

""I am proud that someone new, fresh, and with a different perspective is taking over," Carvalho said via videoconference to CNBC."

The ISA, a U.N. regulator, oversees both the exploitation and conservation of an area that covers around 54% of the world's oceans.

The election for the top job in the potentially multi-trillion-dollar industry was bitterly contested, with Carvalho ultimately beating incumbent Michael Lodge. Her four-year term as ISA chief will begin on January 1, 2025.

The election of Carvalho coincides with a period of intense discussion regarding the future of deep-sea mining and the world's oceans.

The process of deep-sea mining entails the use of heavy equipment to extract minerals and metals, including cobalt, nickel, copper, and manganese, from the seafloor where these minerals accumulate in nodules that are the size of potatoes.

The applications of these minerals are diverse and encompass electric vehicle batteries, wind turbines, and solar panels.

While scientists caution that predicting the full environmental effects of deep-sea mining is difficult, environmental campaign groups argue that the practice is unsustainable and will inevitably result in ecosystem devastation and species extinction.

The ISA Council, comprised of 36 member states, recently concluded a series of meetings in Jamaica with the aim of developing a mining code to regulate the extraction of polymetallic nodules and other deposits on the ocean floor prior to any mining activity commencing.

By the end of 2025, Carvalho believes it is still possible for member states to establish formal rules.

As Secretary General, my duty is to prepare the groundwork for them to complete their work by the end of next year. I will do everything possible to achieve this goal.

'Cacophony and chaos'

In 2021, Nauru's intention to start deep-sea mining prompted the scramble to reach consensus on a mining code.

The "two year rule" in the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea allows mining applications to be submitted even if the mining code has not been finalized.

Some companies have set ambitious timelines for extraction, with TMC in Canada aiming to obtain a license to mine minerals from the ocean floor by the end of this year.

When queried about TMC's plans, Carvalho stated: "It's reasonable. It's within the law, they have the right to present their proposal."

Carvalho stated that she would be highly concerned if a mining exploitation request was placed on her table without a mining code.

Regulatory stability is crucial for both businesses and society, as a lack of stability can lead to a cacophony and chaos, allowing for litigation at various levels.

"Deep-sea mining has numerous stakeholders, resulting in multiple courts being involved in the decision-making process, both at the international and national levels."

A 'mind-blowing' dark oxygen study

As ISA chief, Carvalho's top priority would be managing the regulator itself, having previously served as head of the U.N.'s marine and freshwater branch.

Rebuilding trust is necessary for me, as it has become clear that the primary issue is the governance of the ISA itself, Carvalho stated.

"I don't want to single out anyone, but I believe that more transparency and accountability are necessary."

Over 30 countries have called for a halt to the start of deep-sea mining due to five recent announcements supporting a precautionary pause or moratorium for the nascent industry.

A pause is gaining traction after a research breakthrough revealed that "dark oxygen" is being generated by polymetallic nodules deep in the Pacific Ocean.

The recently published findings in the Nature Geoscience journal may increase worries about the dangers of deep-sea mining.

The ISA should prioritize environmental concerns, according to Carvalho, who described the study's findings as "mind-blowing."

Carvalho stated that the protection of the deep ocean from heavy mining machines should be incorporated into the mining code through the ISA, as he believes there is no other instrument globally capable of achieving this.

Carvalho expressed no fear about the discussion on the future of deep-sea mining.

Carvalho stated that he is the opposite of the ISA leadership, as he completely embraces the law and believes that the ISA must read it completely to deliver a mining code that honors the provision of the law that states that the ocean should not be harmed.

"Discussing the definition of harm is necessary," she stated.