Global Gas Flaring Reduction Partnership: 4th Global Forum

The 4th Global Forum on Flaring Reduction took place on September 9-10, 2015 in Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug - Yugra (KMAO), Russian Federation, organised by the World Bank Group, the Global Gas Flaring Reduction Partnership (GGFR) and the local government. It was attended by national politicians including two ministers in the government of the Russian Federation - Alexander Novak, Minister of Energy, and Sergey Donskoy, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment - and leading representatives of major companies in the oil and gas sector.

The meeting provided an opportunity for industry professionals to discuss and share expertise on viable approaches to the reduction of gas flaring in order to minimise the wastage of this valuable resource, instead putting it to productive use. During the Forum the benefits of establishing public-private partnerships as an optimal solution for flaring reduction were emphasised.

In his presentation, titled "Emissions from flaring in global and regional assessments: Emissions, climate impacts, mitigation opportunity", Zbigniew Klimont explained the interest in flaring emissions of black carbon (BC) and discussed their importance in regard to climate change and impacts in the Arctic. He described the methodology behind the estimation of BC and methane emissions from this source in IIASA's GAINS integrated assessment model and discussed the main uncertainties involved. Recent results from modelling exercises using the GAINS emissions estimates suggest that the contribution of gas flaring to BC in the Arctic has previously been underestimated. Further work in this area is vital to improve our understanding of the processes at work. Finally, the role of reduced gas flaring as one of the measures considered to limit the impacts of short-lived climate pollutants was explored.

Last edited: 17 September 2015