Obama places permanent ban on oil drilling in Arctic and Atlantic oceans

US president Barack Obama has permanently banned oil and gas drilling in US-owned waters, which cover the majority of the Arctic and Atlantic oceans.

The outgoing president's decision, which will revive a law first put in place in 1953, will make it extremely difficult for future presidents to overturn the decision and allow leases to be taken out on the waters.

The ban will affect areas around the Chukchi Sea around Alaska, the Beaufort Sea in the Atlantic, but may be subject to a challenge from president-elect Donald Trump.

Trump was elected last month after defeating Hillary Clinton unexpectedly in the race for the White House, having previously promised to free up more of the country's resources. He has also threatened to pull the US from the Paris climate change agreement, referring to the issue as a "hoax" perpetrated by China.

In a statement, the White House said that the decision was made based on the need for "a strong, sustainable and viable Arctic economy and ecosystem".

Canada has also agreed to protect the area from oil and gas drilling, but the move will be reviewed every five years.

"These actions, and Canada's parallel actions, protect a sensitive and unique ecosystem that is unlike any other region on earth," Obama said.

"They reflect the scientific assessment that, even with the high safety standards that both our countries have put in place, the risks of an oil spill in this region are significant and our ability to clean up from a spill in the region's harsh conditions is limited."