America’s passing of its first ever climate legislation will prove a pivotal moment in history that will help bring to an end the era of fossil fuels, according to Al Gore, the former US vice-president.

Joe Biden is poised to sign a huge $370bn package of clean energy spending, overcoming decades of American political rancor and inaction on the climate crisis. Gore said he was now sure the fossil fuel industry and its political backers will not be able to reverse the shift to a decarbonized world, even if Republicans are able to wrest back control of Congress or the White House.

Biden’s landmark climate and spending bill – what’s in it, and what got cut?

“In crossing this threshold we have changed history and will never go backwards,” Gore told the Guardian in an interview. “I’m extremely optimistic that this will be a critical turning point in our struggle to confront the climate crisis.”

While the oil and gas industry is currently making enormous profits off the back of soaring fuel prices spurred by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Gore insisted this was “momentary compared to the big wheel that is now turning” on renewable energy.