brought in a lot less money than they thought, partly because the price of gas and oil right now. this was a long range thing, they were happy to finally get it going but actually they were much more interested in but approving what is called the willow drilling project in northern alaska, not on the wildlife refuge. they thought that would bring in a lot more money more quickly. talking about biden s climate policy, on the one hand he is suspending this which will get him praise, but on the other hand he has allowed some drilling which will make people in alaska happy and make the environmentalists a little upset. the environmentalists a little u set. . ., the environmentalists a little uset. , ., , ., ., the environmentalists a little uset. , ., ., . upset. there is a senator in alaska who always upset. there is a senator in alaska who always has upset. there is a senator in alaska who always has the upset. there is a senator in alaska who always has the spotlight i upset. ther
system you re watching bbc news, with me katty kay me katty kay in washington. david eades is in london. our top stories. breaking news in the last few moments, israelappears to have a new government and significantly one not led by benjamin netanyahu, for the first time in 12 years. america s last great wilderness president biden blocks drilling for oil and gas in a wildlife refuge, in alaska. also in the programme. vaccine passports the eu launches its digital coronavirus certificate. we ll ask a commission spokesperson how it works. plus, what happens when you mix tomato puree and olive oil? no, this isn t a pasta sauce recipe, but the result of a messy collision.
would be suspending all leases allowing oil and gas exploration in a wildlife refuge in alaska. the white house has ordered an environmemtal review of the possible impact, on what s been descibed as america s last great wilderness. climate is one area we ve seen a real shift from the trump to the biden administrations. donald trump sold the alaska drilling leases in the final days of his presidency, providing access to some 11 billion barrels of oil lying beneath the ice. we can go now to alaska. how will this go down? a lot of oil that would have been drilled. what is the trade between wanting to preserve the wilderness and wanting to preserve the economic benefits of accessing the oil? it is interesting, accessing the oil? it is interesting, i- accessing the oil? it is interesting, i have i accessing the oil? it is i interesting, i have spoken accessing the oil? it 3 interesting, i have spoken with several alaska politicians and they are philosophical. it has been a political footb
project. so this is tricky for her now. she has already been attacked by her republican opponent in a primary next year, who says this is lisa murkowski selling out to biden and the democrats again. pointing to her vote to confirm deb holland, the interior secretary who approved the suspension of drilling. she might pay a bit of a political price for this, she is not conservative enough. it this, she is not conservative enough- - - this, she is not conservative enou~h. ., , ., , ,, enough. it does feel a bit like joe iioiden enough. it does feel a bit like joe biden can t enough. it does feel a bit like joe biden can t really enough. it does feel a bit like joe biden can t really lose i enough. it does feel a bit like joe biden can t really lose at i enough. it does feel a bit like | joe biden can t really lose at this stage on this. the pick up for the leases wasn t great, the business case for drilling looks, well, mediocre at best. so lying dormant in a way. mediocre at best.
system more robust, and those who want to weaken the justice system. the list is long. can they find a formula, at least for a year or two, to work together? this is a great chance, a new generation, understanding that this country needs a healing process after the divisiveness of netanyahu. can they put these differences aside and work together, this is the big task and the big challenge. together, this is the big task and the big challenge. thank you very much forjoining the big challenge. thank you very much forjoining us. the us isn t waiting, we are resolving to take action. those were the words of president biden at a major climate summit in april and it seems he is staying true to his word. mr biden announced on tuesday the us