Each year in Iraq, gas flaring greatly contributes to global greenhouse gas emissions, causing severe damage to the environment, economy, and health of the Iraqi people.
Yet, this destructive practice persists.
In the past year alone, Iraq burned over 600 billion cubic feet (bcf) of gas, releasing it into the atmosphere due to inadequate infrastructure for capturing and processing this byproduct of oil extraction. This lack of infrastructure also leads to fugitive methane emissions, which are 28 times more harmful than carbon dioxide.
To understand the scope of the problem, the obstacles, and mitigation efforts to date, the EPIC team and I are excited to share our new issue brief, “The Flaring of Natural Gas in Iraq.”
Around the world, gas flaring and fugitive methane emissions are on the rise, and Iraq is among the worst offenders. In 2021, a massive methane leak over southern Iraq highlighted the severity of the issue, emitting greenhouse gases equivalent to 6,500 cars running for a year!
Moreover, Iraq is failing to enforce laws designed to protect nearby communities. In Basra and Kirkuk, flares are sometimes less than 2 miles from communities, a violation of Iraqi law that is making people sick and contributing to rising cancer rates.
There is some good news. In 2017, Baghdad endorsed the “Zero Routine Flaring (ZRF) by 2030” Initiative, signing multiple agreements to capture and process flared gas with the goal of eliminating flaring by 2028. However, those efforts face serious headwinds, including a significant expansion of hydrocarbon exploration and production operations, which are bound to increase methane emissions and the amount of associated gas rising to the surface.
Furthermore, Iraq’s efforts to reach its goal of zero routine flaring could benefit from more transparency, better cooperation between Baghdad and Erbil, enhanced regulations, and a stronger commitment to ending Iraq‘s dependence on Iranian gas imports to meet its domestic energy needs.
To help put those efforts back on track, we are excited to share our new issue brief, “The Flaring of Natural Gas in Iraq,” which offers six recommendations for government action.
EPIC is also in talks with Iraq‘s Ministry of Environment and other key agencies about better protecting nearby communities from the health and environmental harms of gas flaring and about creating further incentives for both international and national oil companies to do more to help Iraq meet its ZRF goal by 2028.
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