[2026] PTE Academic Reading - Multiple Choice, Single Answer

The transition to green energy technologies has spurred a renewed interest in the extraction of polymetallic nodules from the deep ocean floor. Advocates argue that these seabed resources are essential for the production of electric vehicle batteries and renewable energy storage systems. However, marine biologists warn that the environmental cost of such ventures remains largely unquantified and potentially catastrophic. Deep-sea ecosystems are characterized by extreme fragility and slow recovery rates, making them particularly vulnerable to the sediment plumes and noise pollution generated by mining machinery. Furthermore, the lack of comprehensive baseline data means that we are effectively operating in the dark regarding the potential for irreversible biodiversity loss. While the economic lure of these minerals is significant, rushing into large-scale extraction without robust international oversight and rigorous scientific assessment is a gamble with the planet’s largest ecosystem. Consequently, a moratorium on deep-sea mining may be the only responsible course of action until the full ecological implications are understood.