The World Bank published its Global Gas Flaring Tracker Report on Thursday, in which Iraq is accompanied by Russia, Iran, US, Venezuela, Algeria, Libya, Nigeria and Mexico as the countries flaring the most in 2023.
“Together, these nine countries are responsible for 75 percent of global gas flaring, but just 46 percent of global oil production,” the report stated.
Flaring is when oil wells burn the excess gas that can't be stored or used. It is a convenient way to deal with the waste product known as associated petroleum gas; however, it is damaging to the environment, public health and is a major contributor to climate change.
The report also noted that flaring intensity has increased in Iraq with nearly 17 billion cubic meters of gas flared.
Iraq is one of the world’s largest gas flaring countries, primarily burning off excess gas at oil wells. The practice is a major contributor to greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere, causing severe environmental damage and climate change. It also poses a serious risk to the well-being of people living close to flaring sites, from Basra to the Kurdistan Region, where refugee camps are particularly vulnerable.
Both the Iraqi and Kurdistan Region governments have said they want to end the practice.
In a speech at the al-Rafidain Forum for Dialogue in Baghdad in March, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani said the goal is to completely end gas flaring within three to five years. He also said that “within two months” Iraq will announce self-sufficiency in oil derivatives and save over $3 billion annually on imports. But three months later, Baghdad has yet to announce self-sufficiency.
The World Bank called on the countries to “Rapidly accelerate flaring reduction progress” and kick-start investment plans to speed the process.
During Sudani’s trip to the United States in April, Baghdad and Washington signed several agreements on capturing flared gas and turning it into much-needed electricity.
Oil is Iraq’s main source of income. Its revenues cover government costs and pay civil servant salaries. The country pocketed $97.5 billion from oil sales in 2023, a significant decline from 2022’s record-setting $115 billion.
