Stig-Morten Knutsen is Chief Geologist at the Norwegian Offshore Directorate, Vice Chair of the UN Expert Group on Resource Management, and a member of the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf. In these roles, he grapples with some of the biggest—and most uncomfortable—questions in resource management: how to balance risk, uncertainty, and trust across industries ranging from oil and gas to carbon capture and seabed minerals.
In this conversation, we discuss:
* The details and development of Norway’s offshore regime
* The challenge of balancing three competing dimensions: resources, environment, and geopolitics.
* Why uncertainty—and our comfort with it—may be the central issue in the deep-sea mining debate.
* The importance of trust, open data, and the “Norwegian model” for resource management and avoiding the “resource curse”.
If you want to understand how Norway is trying to balance its offshore legacy with a new frontier—and what it takes to move the global conversation forward without collapsing into polarization—this episode is for you.
Follow Stig-Morten on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stigmortenknutsen/?originalSubdomain=no
Chapters
00:00 Understanding Resource Management and Deep Sea Mining03:03 Stig-Morten Knutsen: Background and Roles05:50 The Role of the Norwegian Offshore Directorate08:33 The Current State of Deep Sea Mining in Norway11:04 Exploration and Concession Processes13:42 The Challenges of Licensing and Regulation16:29 Public Perception and Trust in Resource Management19:16 The Intersection of Psychology and Resource Management22:05 Norway's Success in Resource Management24:49 The Future of Deep Sea Mining and Trust Issues34:07 Evaluating Deep-Sea Mining Licenses37:53 Understanding Stances on Deep-Sea Mining38:43 Dimensions of Deep-Sea Mining: Environment, Resources, and Geopolitics41:28 The Role of Uncertainty in Decision-Making44:25 The Importance of Timing in Resource Management47:14 Navigating Trust and Discomfort in Deep-Sea Mining49:48 The Resource Curse and Its Implications53:21 Exploring the Path Forward for Deep-Sea Mining57:00 The Need for Open Discussion and Data Sharing
Resources/Links
The NOD (Norwegian Offshore Directorate) homepage on Seabed minerals: https://www.sodir.no/en/facts/seabed-minerals/
The Ministry of Energy on Seabed minerals: https://www.regjeringen.no/en/topics/energy/sea-bed-minerals/id2664074/
The ISA (International Seabed Authority - about): https://www.isa.org.jm/about-isa/
Centre for Deep Sea Research (UiB): https://www4.uib.no/en/research/research-centres/centre-for-deep-sea-research
