Stop it before it starts

Greenpeace UK and other like-minded partner organisations are coming together to raise awareness of the grave threat posed by deep sea mining in a new advertising campaign, developed in partnership with creative agency elvis.
Deep sea mining is an emerging extractive industry that mining companies and their government allies are attempting to launch with the goal of removing mineral deposits from the ocean’s seabed. If deep sea mining is allowed to start, gigantic machines that could weigh more than a blue whale will be lowered to the ocean floor where they will strip, dredge or cut deposits from deep ocean ecosystems, including hydrothermal vents, seamounts and abyssal plains. This would have a devastating and potentially irreversible impact on ecosystems and marine life and so far, more than 750 scientists have called for a halt to the industry before it starts.
To drive awareness and help the public understand the severe threat posed by deep sea mining ahead of a crucial meeting of the International Seabed Authority in July where the debate over whether to allow deep sea mining will take place, elvis has partnered with Greenpeace, the Environmental Justice Foundation, the Blue Marine Foundation and Fauna & Flora to produce a series of hard-hitting ads.
The campaign draws a parallel with deforestation, an existing environmental crisis that many people are already aware of, highlighting similarities around the destruction of habitats. In order to communicate this parallel, the ads depict wooded areas that have been impacted by deforestation as though they are under deep water.
Calling on the UK government to take action, the ads feature the copy: “Deforestation is a catastrophe. Deep sea mining doesn’t have to be another. Our government can help stop it before it starts.” The public are invited to lend their support to the campaign by using the hashtag #StopDeepSeaMining.