Iraq ranks among top three gas-flaring countries in 2025, World Bank says

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq ranked among the three countries that flared the most gas globally in 2025, alongside Russia and Iran, according to World Bank data. The three countries together burned around 84 billion cubic meters of gas, accounting for roughly half of all gas flared worldwide, the bank said. Global gas flaring rose for a third consecutive year to 167 billion cubic meters, the highest level in six years. Russia and Iran were the main drivers of the annual increase, with Iraq also among the top three flaring nations, the report said. The World Bank said Russia, Iran, Iraq, Venezuela, Mexico, Libya, Algeria, Nigeria and the United States account for more than 80 percent of global gas flaring and about half of world oil production. The report cited infrastructure shortfalls, limited gas markets, financing difficulties and inconsistent enforcement of regulations as obstacles to investment. Ending routine flaring would require $70 billion to $100 billion in investment, less than twice the annual value of the gas wasted, the report said. Zubin Bamji, director of the Global Gas Flaring and Methane Reduction Partnership, said the needed technology and policies already exist and that what is missing is the leadership and governance will to act.