In recent years, methane has emerged as a critical focus in the fight against climate change. Although it accounts for a smaller fraction of total greenhouse gas emissions, methane’s impact on global warming is significantly more severe than its more well-known relative, carbon dioxide. In fact, its global warming potential is estimated to be over 80 times that of carbon dioxide on a 20-year time horizon. But where does methane come from? Its major sources include fossil fuel production, agriculture, and waste management. Recognizing the importance of international collaboration and accurate data in tackling climate change, USAID offered its expertise to help Turkmenistan assess its methane emissions. This was further formalized when Turkmenistan joined the Global Methane Pledge (GMP), which aims to reduce global methane emissions by at least 30 percent by 2030.

While this historic decision was announced at the COP28 by President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, there were first a series of discussions between USAID and Turkmenistan’s key stakeholders. Both sides shared a common vision of reducing methane emissions and enhancing environmental sustainability. The initial planning phase included USAID’s Power Central Asia’s high-level assessment of methane emissions which contributed to the country’s decision to join the Global Methane Pledge, while local partners, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Environmental Protection, and Ministry of Energy, carefully reviewed the next steps to ensure a thorough and accurate assessment.

A few months later, in February of 2024, the USAID Power Central Asia team traveled to Turkmenistan to conduct direct measurements. Working closely with Turkmenistan’s national experts, the team carried out comprehensive assessments across various sites. This collaborative effort facilitated knowledge transfer and deepened solidarity between the teams, who together were working in two shifts, living in barracks, and moving around the country. One team used a mobile methane emissions monitoring system for remote measurements, expanding survey capabilities to difficult-to-access sources, while the other “ground” team went to the hot spots to pinpoint leaks. The information they collected revealed the root causes of the emissions, combined with the characteristics of each site, enabling national and international experts to develop effective mitigation measures.

Ogulhan Ernepesova, from Turkmengas’ Department of International Relations, recalls, “Collaboration with international experts from the USAID project allowed us to conduct a comprehensive analysis of methane emissions at our facilities. Their wealth of experience with similar work in other countries around the world, as well as advanced measurement techniques, played a key role in the assessment and helped us better understand the environmental situation and find ways to reduce emissions.”

The team was led by Younus Burhan, an international methane management expert. He explains, “The main objective of the measurement campaign was to detect and quantify methane emissions to identify high-impact opportunities for cost-effectively reducing emissions at oil and gas facilities in Turkmenistan. The secondary objective was to build the technical capacity of local stakeholders on methane emissions and mitigation.”

Turkmenistan is actively strengthening its position in environmental safety and sustainable development. Joint projects like this one demonstrate the commitment of national experts to global environmental standards. Ogulhan and her colleagues agree that the accuracy of data obtained through assessments with international experts will enable them to develop and implement effective reduction measures.

Leveraging their experience in countries such as the United States, Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan, Younus and his team concluded the assessment, revealing results to the partners in June of this year. The assessment confirmed there are promising reduction opportunities, providing key insights into methane emission sources and levels across Turkmenistan and further contributing to the country’s strategy to meet its Global Methane Pledge commitments.

“Turkmenistan can implement the methane mitigation opportunities identified at each surveyed facility to help meet its methane reduction goals of the Global Methane Pledge. These opportunities could also exist in similar facilities across Turkmenistan and can be implemented there as well,” Younus explains.

Emphasizing the importance of international partnerships, Ogulhan agrees. “Partnership with the international community is an important part of the work of the Turkmengas State Concern. Through joint efforts, we can effectively implement government policies and make a significant contribution to meeting the global methane commitment.”

Reducing methane emissions serves two purposes. On the one hand, it is a marketable commodity, and companies with a higher ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) score will be better able to obtain flexible loan terms; better interest rates; improved investment attractiveness and investor relations; increased energy security; and improved human health, workers safety, and financial growth. Simultaneously, reducing methane emissions has the potential to achieve significant cost-effective, near-term climate change mitigation, enabling companies to help limit the global temperature rise to 1.5°C.

Looking ahead, Ogulhan said, “We intend to continue our fruitful cooperation with international partners to further improve the environmental situation and reach new heights. This is an important step towards a sustainable future for our region and the planet as a whole.”

This collaboration serves as a powerful example of how international partnerships can drive meaningful change. By combining expertise and resources, such partnerships can bring a greener future one step closer.

Source: USAID Central Asia