Global Gas Flaring Hits 20-Year High, Wasting Energy and Fueling Climate Crisis

The world witnessed a troubling rise in gas flaring for the second consecutive year in 2024, according to new satellite data analyzed in the World Bank’s annual Global Gas Flaring Tracker. The report reveals that flaring—the process of burning off natural gas during oil extraction—climbed to 151 billion cubic meters (bcm), representing an increase of 3 bcm from the previous year. This marks the highest volume of flared gas in nearly two decades, further exacerbating global efforts to curb emissions, ensure energy security, and advance climate goals.

The environmental and economic implications are stark. The World Bank estimates that the flared gas represents $63 billion in lost energy value and resulted in an estimated 389 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent emissions, including 46 million tonnes from unburnt methane, one of the most potent greenhouse gases. The wasted gas, if captured and utilized, could help meet the energy demands of millions while dramatically reducing harmful emissions.

Persistent Flaring Despite Climate Commitments

Despite international pledges and technological advancements, gas flaring intensity—the volume of gas flared per barrel of oil produced—has remained largely unchanged for 15 years. This persistent trend underscores the urgent need for more aggressive and coordinated action from governments and oil producers.

“When more than a billion people still don’t have access to reliable energy and numerous countries are seeking more sources of energy to meet higher demand, it’s very frustrating to see this natural resource wasted,” said Demetrios Papathanasiou, World Bank Global Director for Energy and Extractives.

The World Bank report points out that the top nine flaring countries—which include Russia, Iraq, Iran, the United States, Algeria, Venezuela, Nigeria, Mexico, and Libya—continue to account for 75% of global flaring, despite contributing less than half of the world’s oil production. This imbalance highlights inefficiencies and governance challenges in major oil-producing nations.

Success of the Zero Routine Flaring by 2030 Initiative

Encouragingly, countries that have committed to the Zero Routine Flaring by 2030 (ZRF) initiative have shown marked improvement. Since 2012:

• ZRF-endorsing countries have reduced flaring intensity by an average of 12%.

• In contrast, countries outside the initiative have seen a 25% increase in flaring intensity.

The ZRF initiative, launched by the World Bank and endorsed by over 80 governments and companies, aims to eliminate routine flaring—defined as flaring during normal oil production operations in the absence of sufficient gas gathering infrastructure—by the end of the decade.

World Bank’s GFMR Partnership Accelerates Solutions

To support further reductions, the World Bank’s Global Flaring and Methane Reduction (GFMR) Partnership is providing a suite of financial and technical resources, including:

• Catalytic grants to incentivize methane and flaring reduction projects.

• Advisory services for policy and regulatory reform.

• Capacity building and institutional support for national governments and energy agencies.

One such success story is Uzbekistan, where GFMR allocated $11 million to detect and repair methane leaks in the national gas transport system. This initiative has already reduced methane emissions by 9,000 tonnes annually, with the potential to reach 100,000 tonnes per year as the program scales.

“Governments and operators must make flaring reduction a priority, or this practice will persist,” said Zubin Bamji, Manager of the GFMR Partnership. “The solutions exist. With effective policies, we can create favorable conditions that incentivize flaring reduction projects and lead to sustainable, scalable action. We should turn this wasted gas into an engine for economic development.”

A Call for Urgent and Coordinated Global Action

The environmental and economic consequences of continued gas flaring are far-reaching:

• Methane emissions contribute heavily to short-term climate warming—more than 80 times more powerful than CO₂ over a 20-year period.

• Wasted energy undermines energy access goals in developing countries.

• Uncaptured gas could be used for domestic electricity, industry, or liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports, strengthening national energy security.

The World Bank warns that without urgent action to enforce stricter controls, flaring will continue to undermine both climate action and development goals. Governments, oil companies, and global institutions must collaborate to modernize gas infrastructure, mandate capture technologies, and penalize routine flaring where feasible alternatives exist.

As the world hurtles toward climate thresholds, the choice is stark: continue burning away a critical resource, or harness it for a more sustainable, inclusive, and secure energy future.