Iraq Reduces Gas Flaring by 70% in Push for Energy Reform
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani announced on Tuesday that Iraq has reduced gas flaring by 70%, marking a significant step toward energy efficiency and environmental sustainability. Speaking at the Iraq Energy Conference 2025 in Baghdad, he detailed his administration’s energy policies, emphasizing the country’s efforts to harness its natural resources more effectively.
Gas flaring, the process of burning off excess natural gas during oil extraction, has long been a major environmental and economic issue. The practice releases large amounts of carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere, contributing to climate change and air pollution. It also represents a substantial waste of a valuable energy resource that could be used for power generation and industrial development. Reducing flaring helps mitigate harmful emissions, improves air quality, and allows countries like Iraq to utilize their gas reserves more efficiently.
This holiday season, give to:
Truth and understanding
The Media Line's intrepid correspondents are in Israel, Gaza, Lebanon, Syria and Pakistan providing first-person reporting.
They all said they cover it.
We see it.
We report with just one agenda: the truth.
“Our priority was to stop gas flaring, and we have achieved 70 percent of this target,” al-Sudani said. “This milestone significantly reduces emissions and energy waste.”
The prime minister also stated that Iraq is nearing self-sufficiency in fuel production and plans to begin exporting diesel. By 2030, the government aims to divert 40% of the country’s oil production into industrial transformation projects. Additionally, Iraq has set a goal to completely eliminate gas flaring by 2028.
Despite possessing approximately 132 trillion cubic feet of proven natural gas reserves, Iraq has historically flared a significant portion of its gas while relying on imports to power its electricity grid. The government’s latest initiatives are part of broader efforts to reduce dependence on foreign energy supplies and cut harmful emissions.
