Global Gas Flaring Tracker Report

 Global Gas Flaring Tracker Report: Recently, the World Bank’s 2025 Global Gas Flaring Tracker Report raised concerns over a sharp rise in global emissions from gas flaring.

• Key Findings: According to the report, 2024 recorded the highest flaring volumes since 2007, leading to the release of 389 million tonnes (Mt) of CO₂-equivalent emissions.

o Of this, 46 MtCO₂e came from unburnt methane, a highly potent greenhouse gas.

o The flare volume rose to 151 billion cubic metres (bcm) in 2024, up from 148 bcm in 2023.

o This gas loss is nearly equal to Africa’s total annual gas consumption (162 bcm).

o The top nine flaring countries (Russia, Iran, Iraq, US, Venezuela, Algeria, Libya, Mexico, Nigeria) accounted for 76% of global flaring in 2024 (up from 65% in 2012).

o Iran, Nigeria, US, Iraq, and Russia saw the largest volume increases, together contributing an extra 4.6 bcm in 2024.

• About Gas flaring: Practice of burning off natural gas that is released during crude oil extraction (known as associated gas).

o It is commonly carried out in oil fields, especially remote or offshore sites where infrastructure to capture, store, or transport the gas is unavailable.

o Despite being wasteful and polluting, flaring continues because it is a relatively safe disposal method for excess gas.