Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov announced the country's accession to the Global Methane Pledge in a speech at the COP28 climate summit in Dubai (UAE), the Turkmenistan's state agency reports.
"Today, from this high podium, Turkmenistan officially announces its accession to the Global Methane Pledge". This strategic document envisages a 20% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in 2030 relative to 2010 levels.
Berdimuhamedov also said that Ashgabat will continue cooperation with international organisations and partner states in this area.
Methane is a threat to the climate 80 times more potent than CO2.Turkmenistan is a major supplier of natural gas in the region, bought by China, Russia, Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan.
Experts told Daryo that the leaks are mainly due to wear and tear on oil and gas pipelines and the release of unwanted methane gas, which is extracted along with oil, into the atmosphere.
In addition, Berdimuhamedov confirmed at COP28 the initiative to open a UN Regional Centre on Climate Change Technologies in Central Asia in Ashgabat.
Turkmenistan's Ministry of Environmental Protection and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the issue in mid-November.
"Turkmenistan's initiative to establish a UN specialised centre for a region of almost 80mn people with unique natural resources, biodiversity, and at the same time, located in the zone of serious environmental risks, now has real prospects."
Experts told Daryo that the ecology of the Aral Sea, prevention of desertification, protection of biodiversity and the environment, and sustainable water management are on the regional agenda.
Eziz Boyarov
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