The US government has limited opportunities to drill for oil and gas in the Arctic. This has reversed a decision of the Trump administration, write various American media.
It is an area in the US state of Alaska of about 9.3 million hectares, which has received the name National Petroleum Reserve. There are large reserves of oil and gas in the ground, but there are fears that oil and gas extraction will cause damage to nature. Among other things, polar bears and caribou live in the area.
Then-president Donald Trump wanted to allow drilling in 82 percent of the area. His successor Joe Biden has now limited that to 52 percent, the same percentage that Trump’s predecessor Barack Obama allowed. In addition, some measures have been taken to protect nature in the area.
If the oil and gas that is in the ground in the area were to be used, it would lead to an emission of 5 billion tons of CO2. That’s about as much as the entire United States ‘ emissions in 2019, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
About the author: Matthew Johnson
Matthew Johnson, a small tech business owner retired and found his passion in journalism.
