Stop deep-sea mining, says Macron, in call for new laws to protect ecosystems

French president, speaking on sidelines of UN ocean conference in Lisbon, urges more investment in science to protect high seas

Emmanuel Macron, the French president, has called for a legal framework to stop deep-sea mining from going ahead and urged countries to put their money into science to better understand and protect the world's oceans.

There is growing international interest in deep-sea mining but there is also pressure from some environmental groups and governments to either ban it or ensure it only goes ahead if appropriate regulations are in place.