Major oil companies not declaring significant source of greenhouse gas emissions: Report

Major oil companies are not declaring a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions, reveals a news report by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). These companies include British multinational oil and gas company BP, Eni, ExxonMobil, Chevron and Shell, according to the report.

Claiming that their reporting method was standard industry practice, the companies have defended themselves and denied any wrongdoing.

The "wasteful" burning of excess gas released during oil production, which is known as the flaring of natural gas, is not being reported.

Polluting the air and accelerating global warming, flared gases emit a potent mix of carbon dioxide, methane and black soot.

High levels of potentially cancer-causing chemicals were found in Iraqi communities near oil fields where there is gas flaring.

As per a 2015 World Bank pledge, BP, Eni, ExxonMobil, Chevron and Shell are committed to declaring and ending routine flaring by 2030.

But instead of taking responsibility for their actions, they said that where they have contracted with another company to run day-to-day operations.

Highlighting that almost 20 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent went unreported from these flares, the report raises concerns that flaring increases the risk of some cancers for people living near oil fields.

Previously, there were several reports that childhood leukaemia is on the increase in some of the world's biggest oil fields in Basra.

"The children have strikingly high levels … this is concerning for [their] health and suggests they should be monitored closely," BBC quoted Dr Manuela Orjuela-Grimm, professor of childhood cancer at Columbia University, as saying.

According to a leaked Iraq health ministry report, new cases of all types of cancer rose by 20 per cent between 2015 and 2018.

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