The amount of gas flared worldwide in 2023 rose by nine billion cubic meters to 148 bcm, reaching its highest level since 2019, according to a World Bank report.
The report, based on new satellite data from the Global Flaring and Methane Reduction (GFMR) Partnership, was disclosed in a statement obtained in Abuja on Friday. The increase in flaring resulted in an additional 23 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions, comparable to adding about five million cars to the roads.
World Bank’s Global Director for Energy and Extractives, Demetrios Papathanasiou, underscored the wastefulness of flaring gas, noting its potential to displace dirtier energy sources and significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The report highlighted the harmful pollutants released by gas flaring, including black carbon and unburned methane, which contribute to climate change and pose risks to both people and the planet.