Underwater robot sets record for the world’s deepest banner protest

Dr Sandra Schöttner, chief scientist for the Deep Arctic Expedition, Greenpeace International said: “This marks the deepest banner protest in history, to speak for ecosystems that have no voice of their own. World leaders have already promised to protect 30% 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.”

The banner was brought down to 2315 metres below sea level by the expedition’s remotely operated vehicle – ROV Holly – and held up in front of the hydrothermal vent field called “Loki’s Castle”, a unique volcanic ecosystem where black smokers are emitting 300–320°C fluid from deep within the ocean crust. Scientists believe our own distant ancestors may have looked just like the microbes living on structures like these, making Loki’s Castle a “cradle” of complex life that could hold the key to how life on Earth once started.

The Arctic is one of the most rapidly changing regions on Earth due to climate change, and as the industrial frontier expands toward the deep sea, through threats like deep-sea mining, Greenpeace warns that these unique ‘biodiversity hotspots’ are at risk of irreversible disruption.

Dr.Sandra Schöttner said: “It is not too late to act. Science clearly predicts the limits of what our planet can endure, but human action determines our survival. 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.”

www.greenpeace.org