President Biden gas moved immediately to recapture last ground in the battle on climate change with a freeze new oil and gas leases on public lands and a target to double offshore wind by 2030.

In a series of executive orders Biden is not only creating the framework for a greener US but setting the tone for his administration. However, signing the orders does not mean the targets can be reached, and there will be some opposition from energy provides who disagree with the agenda. Furthermore, future presidents will be able to undo the orders.

The American Petroleum Institute (API) has warned the president that limiting domestic energy produced on federal lands and waters would “undermine environmental progress, cost American jobs, jeopardise education and conservation funding and shift the US to greater reliance on foreign energy”. There will stiff resistance from some quarters.

John Kerry, the Presidential Climate Envoy, has also been candid that the US cannot act alone, and had placed an importance on the success of the forthcoming COP 26 summit to unite countries in the fight.

The orders also direct federal agencies to acknowledge the threat of climate change and use evidence-based decisions guided by the “best available science and data".

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