Representatives of governments and national oil companies from Europe and Central Asia, international oil and gas companies and international financial organizations participated at the forum, which discussed actual issues of flaring gas reduction.

Impact of global climate change becomes great problem. International community is searching ways on decreasing greenhouse gas emission and transfer to development of economy, which consumes less hydrocarbons and natural gas becomes attractive for many countries. Annually, billions of dollars are burnt at oil fields as natural gas.

According to assessments, annually 140 billion cubic meters of natural gas are being flared and vented annually, which would cover one third of demand of the European Union. Reduction of CO2, received from burning of flare gas would be equal to removing 70 million cars from roads, which would improve environment.

Natural gas is produced at mining oil, but its use is difficult or expensive. This is true for countries, which does not have legislative base, infrastructure or gas market.

According to latest data, received from satellites, flare gas is burnt worldwide, while Russia and Nigeria are heading top 20 countries.

Level of gas burning in Europe and Central Asia is equal to 60 billion cubic meters, which is equal to 120 million tonnes of carbonic acid gas a year. But, countries, like Uzbekistan, are creating conditions for stimulating gas flare reduction and increasing use of gas volume.

Global Gas Flaring Reduction Programme, led by the World Bank, in cooperation with oil companies and countries are working on decreasing irrational gas burning through overcoming barriers, which hinder use of associated gas.

GGFR supports efforts on gas flaring reduction in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. For example, associated gas in Uzbekistan was considered as by-product, but Uzbekneftegaz changes approaches related to associated gas due to high gas prices and efforts directed at rational use of energy resources.