US President Joe Biden has announced a ban on new offshore oil and gas drilling along most of America's coastline, just weeks before Donald Trump is set to take office. The ban encompasses the entire Atlantic coast, the eastern Gulf of Mexico, the Pacific coast off California, Oregon, and Washington, as well as a section of the Bering Sea off Alaska. This decision is the latest in a series of last-minute climate policy actions taken by the Biden administration.

Biden's decision has faced criticism from Trump, who has promised to revoke the ban "immediately" upon taking office. However, Trump may encounter difficulties reversing the ban due to US law. The Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act of 1953 permits presidents to withdraw areas from mineral leasing and drilling. However, a 2019 court ruling indicated that the law does not grant presidents the authority to overturn prior bans. As a result, reversing the ban would likely require an act of Congress, which is currently controlled by Trump's Republican party.

Environmental groups have praised the move, with Joseph Gordon from the conservation organization Oceana calling it "an epic ocean victory." The ban affects over 625 million acres of water and is viewed as a vital measure for protecting the US coastline and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Conversely, the oil and gas industry has raised concerns that the ban could harm American energy security and has called on Congress to reverse the decision.

The ban is expected to be challenged by Trump, and a final legal ruling may ultimately rest with the Supreme Court. Despite the possible challenges ahead, Biden's action is seen as a significant step forward in the fight against climate change. The International Energy Agency estimates that global oil and gas demand must decrease by 5% annually to limit the global temperature rise to 1.5°C, making this ban a critical move towards achieving that goal.