Building Coherent Gas Flaring Policy in Nigeria:[Policy Brief]

This policy brief details advice to policy makers on building a coherent gas flaring policy in light of ongoing energy sustainability challenges in the country

Building Coherent Gas Flaring Policy in Nigeria:[Policy Brief]

This policy brief details advice to policy makers on building a coherent gas flaring policy in light of ongoing energy sustainability challenges in the country

Towards Ethical Global Gas Flaring Policy:[Policy Brief]

This policy brief draws recommendations based upon a Q-methodological study of global gas flaring and energy justice with international stakeholders

Optimising Gas Flaring Policy for Net Zero:[Policy Brief]

This policy brief looks at ways to optimise gas flaring policy to achieve net zero aims, based upon research with gas industry stakeholders

Optimising Gas Flaring Policy for Net Zero:[Policy Brief]

This policy brief looks at ways to optimise gas flaring policy to achieve net zero aims, based upon research with gas industry stakeholders

Towards Ethical Global Gas Flaring Policy:[Policy Brief]

This policy brief draws recommendations based upon a Q-methodological study of global gas flaring and energy justice with international stakeholders

Global gas flaring and energy justice : An empirical ethics analysis of stakeholder perspectives

Global gas flaring harms human and non-human health and well-being while contributing to climate change. Flaring activity in the global oil and gas sector is a significant matter of energy justice – concerning the distribution of risks, benefits and harms, recognition of rights, and decision-making influence within gas-flaring-affected communities. This mixed method empirical ethical analysis of gas flaring and energy justice combines Q-methodology and stakeholder interviews with representatives of 14 gas-flaring-affected countries (n = 35) to evaluate the context-sensitivity of distributive, procedural, recognition, and cosmopolitan justice principles to gas-flaring governance. Four dominant normative perspectives emerge around this topic. These perspectives concern: a) government-led zero flaring policy; b) multi-scalar economic governance; c) business responsibility and social license; and d) localism and community empowerment. We find that: first, there is strong stakeholder support for zero-flaring globally. Second, coordinated multi-scalar governance from international-national-local regulatory authorities is desired to protect marginalised communities. Third, egalitarian rights-based approaches are prioritised over utilitarian approaches in planning for oil and gas extraction. Fourth, business responsibility necessitates transparent communication of flaring activities and impacts and the Polluter Pays Principle of environmental redress to affected communities. Finally, stakeholder disagreement centres upon the practical mechanisms to achieve just outcomes - including compensation, the role of local authorities, regulatory agencies, Environmental Impact Assessment, and efforts to tackle rent-seeking and corruption. We conclude that further stakeholder engagement is needed on the implementation processes for gas flaring elimination, rather than the goal itself, through carefully facilitated dialogue and negotiation

A multi-scalar assessment of global gas flaring: Implications for the management and development of inclusive gas flaring policies and the energy transition

Gas flaring is a major complex environmental concern that needs to be understood as a whole system if it is to meet targets of zero routine flaring by 2030 and net zero emissions by 2050. Achieving these targets depends significantly on effective policies, regulations, and inclusive participation of all gas-flaring stakeholders at all levels. However, the current understanding of global gas flaring challenges is fragmented. This thesis aims to integrate multilevel governance, policy coherence, good governance, and energy justice to analyse global gas flaring issues and optimise policy solutions and regulations to stimulate progress towards targets of zero routine flaring by 2030 and net zero emissions by 2050. It considers options that encompass fairness and equity while supporting the energy transition. The objectives are to: 1) reconceptualise and enhance theories linked to global gas flaring by proposing a new perspective on global gas flaring issues. 2) analyse Nigeria's multilevel governance system and assess the policy coherence across gas flaring and energy sectors, 3) analyse the emergent perspectives on energy justice and global gas flaring and evaluate how agreement and disagreement among these views contribute to developing equitable and inclusive gas flaring policies and regulations, and 4) evaluate stakeholder preferences for different policies and regulatory options, determining the most optimised and effective to help eliminate routine gas-flaring by 2030 and achieve net zero emissions by 2050 whilst addressing good governance, justice, and fair implementation. The research uses mixed methods combining document analysis, semi-structured interviews, exit interviews, and expert surveys with representatives of 16 major gas flaring-affected countries (n=74). Interviews and surveys used purposeful snowball sampling. Findings showed: 1) a singular approach is ineffective, and a whole systems approach is needed to improve the overall gas flaring system; 2) policy coherence around gas flaring, including efforts toward climate change mitigation, has been slowed by political partisanship, poor governance, lack of regulatory compliance, and policy conflict between environmental protection and economic development priorities., 3) global stakeholders support zero-flaring, multi-scalar governance, and egalitarian rights-based approaches but have competing views on the practical mechanisms to achieve just outcomes, and 4) full implementation of gas flaring policies and regulatory framework criteria to limit temperature warming to 1.5°C, is considered the most effective policy alternative. Governments should take responsibility and implement bold and consistent gas flaring policies. However, meeting zero routine flaring and net zero emissions targets also requires a global approach to supplement national initiatives