You couldn't write a dystopian novel with a grimmer plot than what we are witnessing in reality.
Here's how the story goes: Capitalism cuts down all the forests in search of profits, strip-mines the Earth in search of profits, pollutes our air and our water in search of profits... and now, what's left?
Oh, wait, say the capitalists, we haven't dug down into the deep sea yet in search of profits, er, um, minerals. And guess what, we can pretend we're doing that for the sake of the climate and environment!
Yeah, that's the idea. We need those minerals to make electric cars. So it's a win-win. We'll make billions more in profits, AND we'll make ourselves look good by promoting Green Growth! 
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The Guardian
As countries scramble for minerals, the seabed beckons. Will mining it be a disaster? – visual explainerMining companies are poised to mine the deep sea – but opposition is growing. What is the environmental cost, and are these metals actually needed?
