IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/wly/sustdv/v34y2026is1p248-263.html

Deep‐Sea Mining Finance: Balancing Investment Risks, Environmental Responsibility and Financial Opportunities for Sustainable Technology and Impacts

Author

Listed:
  • Thisuri Fernando
  • Poorni Ranaweera
  • Tirishe Droohithya
  • Gayithri Kuruppu
  • Nimila Dushyantha
  • Sandun Dassanayake
  • I. M. Saman K. Ilankoon

Abstract

Deep‐sea mining (DSM) has garnered global attention as a potential solution to the critical metals supply–demand gap, particularly for green technologies addressing climate change. However, environmental concerns pose significant challenges. Aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), DSM requires innovative financial frameworks to balance economic opportunities and ecological risks. This paper critically examines the financial complexities of DSM, which are marked by market fluctuations, legal uncertainties, and geopolitical factors. It proposes a holistic strategy integrating technological innovation, sustainable practices, stakeholder collaboration and global sustainability alignment. Key recommendations are mitigating environmental impacts, optimising financial instruments, employing rehabilitation funds, analysing ecological effects and diversifying investments. By addressing these aspects, the study aims to advance sustainable DSM financing and inform essential research preceding the commercial extraction of critical metals.

Suggested Citation

  • Thisuri Fernando & Poorni Ranaweera & Tirishe Droohithya & Gayithri Kuruppu & Nimila Dushyantha & Sandun Dassanayake & I. M. Saman K. Ilankoon, 2026. "Deep‐Sea Mining Finance: Balancing Investment Risks, Environmental Responsibility and Financial Opportunities for Sustainable Technology and Impacts," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 34(S1), pages 248-263, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:sustdv:v:34:y:2026:i:s1:p:248-263
    DOI: 10.1002/sd.70174
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.70174
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1002/sd.70174?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:wly:sustdv:v:34:y:2026:i:s1:p:248-263. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)1099-1719 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.