US President Joe Biden cancels oil, gas leases in Alaskan wildlife refuge

WASHINGTON: US President Joe Biden's administration has cancelled oil and gas leases in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, which has an estimated 11 billion barrels of oil, the Interior Department announced.

In a statement on Wednesday, the Department said that revoking the drilling leases granted under former President Donald Trump would preserve 13 million acres of wilderness, the BBC reported.

Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said the decision would protect a sensitive landscape that has been disproportionately affected by climate change, which is causing the Arctic to warm two-to-four times faster than the rest of the planet.

"We have a responsibility to protect this treasured region for all ages," the BBC quoted President Biden as saying.

The decision would protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, he said, and honour "the culture, history, and enduring wisdom of Alaska Natives who have lived on these lands since time immemorial". The decision also drew praise from some local tribespeople.

The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge encompasses 19.6 million acres in remote northeastern Alaska. IANS

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