Sustainable Environment: A Comprehensive Evaluation of the Effects of Gas flaring in the Niger Delta, Nigeria

Abstract

The objective of this review is to provide an extensive assessment of the impacts of gas flaring from the ancient to modern life conditions at the Niger Delta as an area of global significance was reviewed from Millennium development goal (MDG) sustainable environmental perspective. These effects of flared gas took so long to persist due to its underdeveloped market, technological deficiency in its conversion into profitable byproducts and/or reinjection into geologic reservoirs until when needed. Findings show that these upstream emissions from flared gas have led to precipitation of acid rain and anthropogenic emissions like GHGs, VOCs, PM and over 250 toxins that have caused innumerable adverse effects on the Niger Delta communities and to the global community as climatic changes and global warming. Categorically, the environmental effects ranged between air, soil, water, heat, light and noise pollution as well as loss of biodiversity, vegetation and inflicted severe impacts on the health, and socioeconomic destitution of the Niger Delta residents including deterioration of the houses they live and shoreline threats as a coastal habitat. Despite the Nigerian government’s achievements in recovering the accrued carbon debt through liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects and other strategic measures as attested by international agencies, yet a detailed discussion on the constraints to effective anti-flare deadlines were also highlighted. Also, suggestions for substantial sustainability of the Niger Delta was made towards a climatic justice and zero-carbon footprint.