The United States and Canada have issued a Joint Arctic Leaders’ Statement announcing a move aimed at protecting the fragile waters of the Arctic region with a ban on offshore oil and gas drilling in the "vast majority" of their waters.

In March, President Obama and Prime Minister Trudeau announced a new partnership to embrace opportunities and confront challenges in the changing Arctic, with Indigenous and Northern partnerships, and responsible, science-based leadership.

President Obama and Prime Minister Trudeau have today launched actions to ensuring a strong, sustainable and viable Arctic economy and ecosystem, with low-impact shipping, science based management of marine resources, and free from the future risks of offshore oil and gas activity.

The joint statement says together the actions set the stage for deeper partnerships with other Arctic nations, including through the Arctic Council.

“Today – due to the important, irreplaceable values of its Arctic waters for Indigenous, Alaska Native and local communities’ subsistence and cultures, wildlife and wildlife habitat, and scientific research; the vulnerability of these ecosystems to an oil spill; and the unique logistical, operational, safety, and scientific challenges and risks of oil extraction and spill response in Arctic waters – the United States is designating the vast majority of U.S. waters in the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas as indefinitely off limits to offshore oil and gas leasing, and Canada will designate all Arctic Canadian waters as indefinitely off limits to future offshore Arctic oil and gas licensing, to be reviewed every five years through a climate and marine science-based life-cycle assessment.” the statement says.

Recently, in direct response to requests from Alaska Native communities, President Obama created the Northern Bering Sea Climate Resilience Area protecting the cultural and subsistence resources of over 80 tribes as well as one of the largest seasonal migrations of marine mammals in the world of bowhead and beluga whales, walrus, ice seals, and sea birds.

US withdraws 115m acres of Arctic Ocean from future oil and gas development

President Obama has withdrawn 115 million acres of the Arctic Ocean and 31 underwater canyons in the Atlantic Ocean from future oil and gas development. The Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act vests the president with the authority to withdraw unleased offshore areas from future oil and gas drilling. The President has already used this law to protect Alaska’s Bristol Bay, the Bering Sea, and part of the Chukchi Sea.

In addition, the Arctic Funders Collaborative (AFC), a group of 11 U.S., Canadian, and international philanthropic foundations, announced the coordination and mobilization of an estimated $27 million in resources for programs across the Arctic over the next three years.

Today, for its part, Canada is committing to co-develop a new Arctic Policy Framework, with Northerners, Territorial and Provincial governments, and First Nations, Inuit, and Métis People that will replace Canada’s Northern Strategy.

The Framework will include an Inuit-specific component, created in partnership with Inuit - Inuit Nunangat comprises over a third of Canada’s land mass and over half of Canada’s coast line, and Inuit modern treaties govern this jurisdictional space.

Canada will also, with Indigenous and Northern partners, explore how to support and protect the future of the Arctic Ocean’s “last ice area” where summer ice remains each year.

The move is being widely seen as an attempt to protect the region by outgoing President Obama before January when he leaves office.

Incoming President-elect Donald Trump could find it difficult to overturn the decision

In response to the declaration, Friends of the Earth said:

“Today’s announcement is a major victory for our oceans and climate. Our offshore areas need permanent protection in the face of Donald Trump’s pledge to expand offshore drilling and his cabinet’s ties to Big Oil. We must afford the same protections to the people of the Gulf of Mexico, which has become an energy sacrifice zone.”

“Donald Trump’s actions since the election have made clear that he will put Big Oil’s profits above Americans’ public health. No president has ever rescinded a previous president’s permanent withdrawal of offshore areas from oil and gas development. If Donald Trump tries to reverse President Obama’s withdrawals, he will find himself in court.”