An additional 389 million tonnes of carbon dioxide were released into the atmosphere by the fossil fuel industry in 2024 due to unnecessary gas flaring, equivalent to France’s annual emissions, according to a recent World Bank analysis. Gas flaring released 389 million tonnes of CO₂, making it a significant contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions. It was said that the method, which entails burning off excess gases like methane during oil production, was an “enormous waste” of resources that undermined energy security and exacerbated climate change.

For the second consecutive year, flaring increased globally, reaching its highest level since 2007, according to a report prepared by the World Bank’s Global Flaring and Methane Reduction (GFMR).

Persistent Challenges in Reducing Gas Flaring

In 2024, 151 billion cubic meters of gas were flared, representing a 3 billion cubic meter increase from the previous year, according to the data. Three-quarters of the world’s flaring occurred in nine nations, primarily from state-owned oil companies: Russia, Iran, Iraq, the United States, Venezuela, Algeria, Libya, Mexico, and Nigeria. Over the past 15 years, flaring intensity has remained high despite global recommendations to end routine flaring by 2030, as supported by the International Energy Agency.

For example, Norway’s flaring intensity is 228 times lower than Venezuela’s and 18 times lower than the U.S., highlighting stark differences in infrastructure and regulatory enforcement.

Table: Key contributors to global gas flaring in 2024, based on World Bank data.

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Economic and Environmental Consequences

With the estimated $63 billion in gas burned in 2024 at EU import prices, flaring constitutes a substantial economic loss. The International Energy Agency estimates that this sum might cover more than half of the investment required to eradicate routine flaring worldwide. Gas flaring released 389 million tonnes of CO₂. The catastrophic impacts of flaring on the environment and human health have been underscored by experts, such as Andrew Baxter from the Environmental Defense Fund, who expressed disappointment at the return to 2007 flaring levels, terming it “deeply disappointing.” This criticism has mainly stemmed from the fact that countries are permitted to continue flaring despite the availability of cost-effective alternatives, and there are no laws that impose substantial financial penalties for pollution.

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New Paths Forward

Although success is still limited, some countries have effectively reduced the impact of flaring, such as Kazakhstan, Egypt, Indonesia, and Angola. Kazakhstan has implemented severe penalties for flaring and has seen an impressive 71% reduction in flaring levels since 2012. While the absolute number currently remains relatively constant, the Zero Routine Flaring by 2030 initiative, run by the World Bank, has seen endorsing countries achieve a 12% reduction in flaring intensity since its inception in 2012.

To help high-flaring, lower-income countries get past governance and infrastructural obstacles, experts like Jonathan Banks of the Clean Air Task Force call for increased international coordination and regulatory pressure. GFMR Manager Zubin Bamji emphasized that nations can reduce emissions, open up new revenue streams, and enhance energy access by investing in sufficient infrastructure, with the necessary investment and political will.

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