Climate scientists urge Obama to rule out more Arctic oil and gas exploration

Nearly 400 international scientists called on Barack Obama to rule out further expansion of oil and gas exploration in Arctic waters under US control.

The letter, signed by prominent Arctic, marine and climate specialists – including a former member of Obama’s administration, urges the president to rule out any future hunting for oil in the waters of the Chukchi and Beaufort seas.

“No new oil and gas leasing or exploration should be allowed in the Chukchi and Beaufort seas in the foreseeable future, including in the next five-year leasing plan,” the scientists write in the letter.

The letter follows a series of new heat and melting records in the Arctic, which have stunned scientists.

Last week it was warmer in Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, than in New York City. The Danish Meteorological Society said the 75F temperature was the second heat record since April, and followed a very early start to the ice melt season.

In addition to putting the entire Beaufort and Chukchi seas off-limits for the next oil and gas leasing offer, from 2017 to 2022, the letter urged the administration to consult native Alaskan groups on any further Arctic developments.

The scientists said in the letter that expanding Arctic marine protection would help counter the effects of climate change.

The letter commended Obama for putting 9.8m acres of Arctic waters off-limits to future drilling last year, and for entering into a joint initiative to protect the Arctic with Canada’s Justin Trudeau.

But the scientists called for further protections to areas important to native Alaskan fishing and hunting – including migration routes for whales and seabirds.

“I’ve witnessed some of the unprecedented changes underway in the Arctic,” Jane Lubchenco, who headed Noaa during Obama’s first term, said in a statement. “Conserving important marine areas is an essential step in sustaining the region’s resilience.”

The letter comes at a time when oil companies are already ruing earlier decisions to hunt for oil in Arctic waters – given the enormous costs and current low global oil prices.

Shell declared last month it was giving up all but one of its leases in the Chukchi Sea, after spending seven years and $7bn hunting for oil in Arctic waters. The company said it would take another look at its leases in the Beaufort Sea.

Repsol, the Spanish firm, announced it was giving up 55 leases in the Chukchi Sea with immediate effect, and planned to drop 30 more next year.

Other oil drillers have also departed the US Arctic region.