Gas flaring in Nigeria in 2020 released about 1.06 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere.
The total volume of CO2 released in 2020 fell from that released in 2019. The effect of COVID-19 affected the production, demand, and supply of petroleum products, resulting in a decrease in the volume of CO2 emitted from 1.3 million tonnes in 2019 to 1.06 million tonnes in 2020. This signifies an 18.5% drop in the volume of CO2 released in 2020 compared to that in 2019.
From 2012 to 2020, approximately 12.85 million tonnes of CO2 have been released into the atmosphere from gas flaring alone. Over the years, the highest volume released was recorded in 2013, when 1.9 million tonnes were released.
The volume declined in the subsequent years but increased again in 2016 to 1.48 million tonnes from 1.35 million tonnes in 2015. It dropped in 2017, increased in 2018; and then declined all through to 2020.
CO2 emissions are drivers of global warming and climate change, posing significant environmental threats, affecting agriculture, causing air pollution and acidifying the soil and water, leading to damage.
Gas flaring is a major culprit of CO2 emissions especially for oil producing countries and is a major detractor from the many promises of net-zero emissions.
While the country seeks solutions to transportation, energy, and commercial activities that release CO2 into the atmosphere, the operation of gas-producing firms contributes a sizable portion of industrial emissions. The continuous flaring of gas generates environmental and energy consequences against Nigeria’s climate change and global warming efforts.
Finding solutions to gas flaring in Nigeria has many advantages and will not only reduce the loss of energy products but also enhance the country’s fight against climate change. For instance, the volume of gas flared annually in the country has a statistical correlation with the demand for energy from fuelwood. This implies that finding a solution to gas flaring could fill the supply gap of the energy needed for households, replacing their demand for fuelwood.
Reducing dependence on fuelwood will in turn contribute to the reduction of deforestation as households can look elsewhere for energy needs. Conserving the wood forest and trapping the much saturated atmospheric CO2 within it offers a natural solution to reducing emissions in the country and improving the environment.
Controlling and limiting gas flaring in Nigeria is crucial for enhancing energy efficiency, sustainable development and the achievement of Nigeria’s Agenda 2030.
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