US President Joe Biden has announced a ban on new oil and gas drilling in the US sections of the Atlantic Ocean, the Pacific Ocean, the Bering Strait, and the eastern part of the Gulf of Mexico.
The area involved encompasses a total of 2.5 million square kilometres of sea.
The decision comes just days before Biden hands over power to President-elect Donald Trump, who strongly supports new oil and gas drilling.
Biden said new drilling was “not worth the risk” to the environment and public health and was “not necessary” to meet US energy needs.
“As the climate crisis continues to threaten communities across the country and we are transitioning to a clean energy economy, now is the time to protect these coasts for our children and grandchildren,” the outgoing US president said.
Existing drilling operations can continue, and new drilling in other parts of US waters, such as the western Gulf of Mexico or the Gulf of Alaska, is not prohibited.
Reversing the decision will be challenging for President-elect Trump, as Biden has invoked a 1953 law granting the federal government authority over offshore drilling, making it difficult to overturn.
Nevertheless, Trump announced on Monday his intention to “immediately” reverse the ban upon taking office and questioned the timing of Biden’s decision.
Environmental organisations have welcomed the ban. It is an “unprecedented victory for the oceans,” the Oceana NGO commented.
