Offshore oil platforms Ellen and Elly off the coast of Long Beach, California.Bsee/Planet Pix/ZUMA

This story was originally published by the Guardian and is reproduced here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration.

Joe Biden has banned offshore drilling across an immense area of coastal waters, weeks before Donald Trump takes office pledging to massively increase fossil fuel production.

The US president’s ban encompasses the entire Atlantic coast and eastern Gulf of Mexico, as well as the Pacific coast off California, Oregon, and Washington, and a section of the Bering Sea off Alaska.

A White House statement said the declaration protected more than 625 million acres of waters. Trump said he would “unban it immediately” as soon as he re-enters the White House on January 20, although it is unclear whether he will be able to do this easily.

“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........

© Mother Jones