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

Aigbe, Godwin

Cotton, Matthew

Stringer, Lindsay

English

Teeside University's Research Repository

Global gas flaring: Top nine countries with high gasflaring and the rest of the world in billion cubicmetres (Bcm) from 2016 to 2022. Data source: TheEnergy Institute (2023).The challengeGlobal gas flaring harms human and non-human health and well-being while contributing to climatechange. The seven countries with the highest shares of gas flaring currently produce 40% of annualglobal oil and gas and account for 65% of total global flaring. The top nine flaring countries continue tobe responsible for most of the flaring.Global gas 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-makinginfluence - within gas-flaring-affected communities. Furthermore, gas flaring concerns global externalitiesfrom associated greenhouse gas emissions, including local and global environmental injustices. Theabsence of a fair and equitable benefit-sharing mechanism, poor governance, and inadequateinformation hinder mitigation efforts. While gas flaring issues have led to several injustices, variousperspectives on gas flaring and energy justice need to be considered to develop equitable policies andregulations. Understanding stakeholder perspectives, including fairness, rights, well-being, andcommunity involvement in decision-making, is crucial for developing fair policies and regulations toaddress the impacts on affected communities.Research Questionsi. What are the emergent perspectives on energyjustice and global gas flaring governance?ii. How can consensus and conflict betweencompeting perspectives help to inform fair andinclusive gas flaring policies?MethodsData were collected through a Q-methodology surveyand exit interviews, semi-structured interviews withseven experts, consisting of four representatives fromenvironmental NGOs and advocacy groups, as well asthree environmental campaigners, expert surveys (23experts out of the 59 contacted responded andcompleted the survey via email), and documentanalysis.Policy BriefDecember 2023 PB002Towards Ethical Global Gas Flaring PolicyResearch aimThis research aimed to analyse the emergentperspectives on energy justice and global gas flaringand evaluate how agreement and disagreementamong these views contribute to developing equitableand inclusive gas flaring policies and regulations.- 10.0 20.0 30.0 40.0 50.0NigeriaLibyaMexicoAlgeriaUnited StatesVenezuelaIraqIranRussiaRest of the WorldGlobal Gas Flaring (2016-2022)2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022Policymakers and governments of gas flaring nations could use the research findings to inform the development of policies and regulations to reduce the environmental and social impacts of gas flaring and improve environmental justice outcomes for flaring-affected communities. Our findings contribute towards understanding the context-sensitivity of distributive, procedural, recognition, and cosmopolitan justice principles to gas flaring governance and how global gas flaring justice issuesaffect people at various scales. This policy brief is based on a paper published as follows:Aigbe, G. O., Cotton, M., & Stringer, L. C. (2023). Global gas flaring and energy justice: An empirical ethics analysis of stakeholder perspectives. Energy Research & Social Science, 99, 103064. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.ERSS.2023.103064For more details about the project, please contact: Godwin Aigbe: gaigbe01@googlemail.comProfessor Lindsay Stringer: lindsay.stringer@york.ac.ukProfessor Matthew Cotton: m.cotton@tees.ac.uk.Policy recommendations1. Governments of countries that flaregas and International Oil Companiesmust discourage enclavedevelopment by promoting localresources, supply chains, and labouror share more benefits with hostcommunities.2. Since gas flaring often takes place insacrifice zones – places populated byeconomically and politicallyvulnerable communities, in whichcollective benefits to the economyare produced at the expense of thelocal environment and thecommunity it supports, governmentsshould carefully manage gas flaringpollution in sacrifice zones.3. Improve transparency byimplementing the ExtractiveIndustries Transparency Initiative(EITI).4. Governments must requireInternational Oil Companies toconduct a comprehensiveEnvironmental Impact Assessment(EIA) and Strategic EnvironmentalAssessments (SEA) and take thefindings into account beforeapproving new developments.Key findings• There is strong stakeholder support for agovernment-driven ban on gas flaring grounded incosmopolitan, procedural, and distributive justiceconsiderations.• Coordinated governance and dispersion of authorityfrom international-national-local regulatoryauthorities is desired to protect marginalisedcommunities aimed to address the issue of gas-flaringinjustice• Equal rights-based approaches are prioritised overeconomic benefits in planning for oil and gasextraction focused on the responsibility of businessesand governments to operate in a socially acceptablemanner in the oil and gas sector, which can beachieved by industry- and government-led energyjustice solutions that emphasise accountability,transparency, and good practice.• Business responsibility necessitates transparentcommunication of flaring activities and impacts andthe Polluter Pays Principle of environmental redressto affected communities.• There was consensus around distributive, procedural,and recognition normative positions, support/non-support for zero-flaring, and a desire for greatertransparency of information provided to the public asa matter of procedural justice. However, stakeholderdisagreement centred upon the practical mechanismsto achieve just outcomes - including compensation,the role of local authorities, regulatory agencies,Environmental Impact Assessment, and efforts totackle rent-seeking and corruption.

Towards Ethical Global Gas Flaring Policy:[Policy Brief]

https://research.tees.ac.uk/ws/files/77736215/Towards_Ethical_Global_Gas_Flaring_Policy.pdf

Towards Ethical Global Gas Flaring Policy:[Policy Brief]

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