In the state policy laid down by the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty Hero-Arkadag and successfully implemented under the wise leadership of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov in the era of the Revival of the new epoch of the powerful state, great importance is attached to ensuring environmental well-being in Turkmenistan, including the transition to «green» energy. Among the large-scale works in this direction, measures are actively being taken to reduce methane emissions into the environment. 

As is known, at the 26th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, held in Glasgow (Scotland), Turkmenistan, noting its support for the new initiative on the Global Methane Commitment, declared its interest in carefully studying this document and participating in its implementation. Taking into account the decisions of the conferences of this Framework Convention, and with the active support of the UN Development Programme, Turkmenistan prepared a nationally defined supplement to the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and approved it in May 2022.

The goal of this strategic document is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent by 2030 compared to 2010 levels. In this regard, it should be noted that Turkmenistan takes a responsible approach to fulfilling its obligations under international documents.

In his historic speech at the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP-28), held in Dubai (United Arab Emirates), President Serdar Berdimuhamedov officially announced Turkmenistan's accession to the Global Methane Commitment.

In order to practically implement the tasks arising from Turkmenistan's accession to this international initiative, a list of activities has been prepared for implementation by the relevant ministries and industry departments of the country.  In particular, a Plan for 2024–2030 aimed at achieving the goals outlined in the Global Methane Commitment and a Roadmap for enhancing international cooperation of Turkmenistan for 2025–2026 have been developed.

Various activities are being carried out to implement the tasks defined in these documents. Thus, over the past two years, large-scale research and identification work has been carried out jointly with international partners at a number of oil and gas production facilities to identify the sources and scale of methane and associated gas emissions, and the relevant reports have been prepared. Based on their results, repair and preventive work has been started at production facilities, and steps have been taken to acquire modern equipment and technologies used in international practice in the oil and gas industry to identify sources of methane gas emissions.

Projects are being prepared to reduce methane emissions by upgrading oil and gas facilities, and it is planned to attract experienced international engineering companies to carry out work in this area.

Another specific example of effective methane emission reduction activities in Turkmenistan are the implemented measures to reduce gas emissions from a technological open gas burning crater formed in the 1970s at the Chaljulba gas field of the Zyagli-Derveze gas production complex located in the Central Karakum Desert. To reduce exhalation from the crater, production wells were drilled near it, from which large volumes of clean gas inflows were obtained, as a result of which the volume of gas emissions from the crater was halved.

As is known, Turkmenistan has achieved great success in this area to date. By the end of 2024 alone, methane emissions in Turkmenistan had decreased by 11 percent, which significantly exceeds the level set by the plan.

Turkmenistan intends to implement a set of measures in the near future to reduce methane emissions into the atmosphere, as well as to collect methane gas and use it efficiently, turning it into a valuable, environmentally friendly source of energy.

To achieve these goals, our country is systematically and successfully transitioning to the introduction and use of modern, environmentally friendly and resource-saving technologies in such sectors as the oil and gas and energy complexes, in the areas of transport and communications, agriculture and industry.

Turkmenistan also attaches great importance to the development of close cooperation with the International Methane Emissions Observatory (IMEO). Work is underway to ensure our country's broad participation in the Methane Alert and Action System (MARS), a digital platform created within the framework of the United Nations Environment Programme. 

Also, in light of the fulfillment of Turkmenistan's international obligations, comprehensive work is constantly being carried out to improve the professional level of relevant specialists in order to carry out monitoring in the above-mentioned areas and prepare reports on economic sectors.

It should be noted that, thanks to the energy and environmental policy successfully implemented under the leadership of the President of Turkmenistan, our country is among the first to implement the tasks arising from the Global Methane Commitment, occupying one of the leading places in the Central Asian region.

Turkmenistan is demonstrating its commitment to environmental requirements in the implementation of major projects to ensure energy security in Central and East Asia, including the phased development of the «Galkynyş» field, which has colossal reserves of natural gas.