Barack Obama permanently bans new Arctic oil drilling

President Obama has issued a ban on new oil and gas drilling in US waters as he attempts to leave his stamp on environmental policy before leaving office.

The ban affects almost 120 million acres of federal waters off Alaska and in the Atlantic.

Donald Trump, who succeeds President Obama next month, has said he will expand offshore oil and gas drilling.

Canada's prime minister Justin Trudeau issued a similar ban in its own Arctic waters.

Mr Obama is using a provision in a 1953 law which says "the president of the United States may, from time to time, withdraw from disposition any of the unleased lands of the outer Continental Shelf".

Industry officials accused Mr Obama of "last minute political rhetoric".

"Instead of building on our nation's position as a global energy leader, today's unilateral mandate could put America back on a path of energy dependence for decades to come," said Dan Naatz of the Independent Petroleum Association of America.

Environmental groups hope the ban, despite relying on executive powers, will be difficult for future presidents to reverse.

"This decision will help protect existing lucrative coastal tourism and fishing businesses from offshore drilling, which promises smaller, short-lived returns and threatens coastal livelihoods," said Jacqueline Savitz of the advocacy group Oceana.

The White House has said it is confident the order will withstand any legal challenge and said the language of the statute does not give authority to future presidents to undo it.

Under the ban, 115 million acres of federal waters off Alaska in the Chukchi sea and most of the Beaufort seas and 3.8 million acres of the Atlantic from New England to Chesapeake Bay would be off limits to new oil and gas leasings.

The administration has cited environmental concerns in both regions to justify the moratorium. Mr Obama also stressed the importance of the Chukchi and Beaufort seas for native Alaskans and the vulnerability of the ecosystem to an oil spill.

He also noted that just 0.1% of offshore crude oil production came from the Arctic in 2015.

A memo from Mr Trump's energy transition team has said his policy could increase production in the Chukchi and Beaufort seas. His team has not responded to Mr Obama's ban.

The American Petroleum Institute has said Mr Trump will likely use a presidential memorandum to lift the ban.

Erik Milito, API director of industry operations, said: "We are hopeful the incoming administration will reverse this decision as the nation continues to need a robust strategy for developing offshore and onshore energy."