Biden signs 'existential' executive orders on climate and

environment

US President Joe Biden has signed a series of executive orders designed to address climate change,
including a new ban on some energy drilling. The orders aim to freeze new oil and gas leases on
public lands and double offshore wind-produced energy by 2030.

They are expected to meet stiff resistance from the energy industry and come as a sea change from
Donald Trump, who cut environmental protections.

What do the orders do?

"Just like we need a unified national response to Covid-19, we desperately need a unified national
response to the climate crisis because there is a climate crisis," he said.

Mr Biden is using his presidential powers to make climate change a central issue of his
administration.

According to a White House statement, Mr Biden is directing the Department of the Interior to pause
oil and gas drilling leases on federal lands and water "to the extent possible" and to launch a review
of existing energy leases.

Mr Biden aims to conserve at least 30% of federal lands and oceans by 2030.

What other climate measures is he taking?

Mr Biden's "whole-of-government" approach, the White House says, creates the position National
Climate Advisor who will lead the office of Domestic Climate Policy at the White House.

The presidential climate envoy, former Secretary of State John Kerry, conceded to reporters on
Wednesday that it would make little difference in the global climate change fight if the US reduced its
emissions to zero.

So it appears that Pausing the extraction of oil and gas from federal lands is the Biden
administration's tremulous first step onto the environemental transition