Research is ongoing for two UNU-WIDER papers addressing natural gas emissions, including flaring and venting of natural gas. The first paper will address the scale, scope and impact from hydrocarbon flaring and venting. Apart from climate, also health related impacts will be assessed in an integrated social cost impact model for atmospheric releases. Apart from CO₂ and methane, impact of emissions from other chemicals (particularly due to poor quality flaring operations) will be included in the assessment. In the  second paper, we focus on solutions and actions to reduce the social cost of atmospheric releases (SCAR) from flaring and venting, using a four-point (“Diamond”) model. 

Figure: Integrated framework “Diamond model” to end routine flaring and venting

Figure: Example of a Super-Emitter flare in Iraq, ranked 13th globally in 2017 based on volume of natural gas burned. Source: NOAA, Google Earth.