On 25 March, training on sustainable methane emissions reduction technologies in the oil and gas sector was launched in Ashgabat. The event is organized by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as part of a methane emissions reduction and capacity-building action plan for representatives of sectoral ministries and agencies. The training is conducted within the framework of the Climate and Clean Air Coalition to Reduce Short-Lived Climate Pollutants (CCAC) and Turkmenistan’s project for updating its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0) under the Paris Agreement on climate change. 

In December 2023, Turkmenistan joined the Global Methane Pledge, committing to reduce methane emissions by 30% by 2030. The training aims to strengthen the technical expertise of specialists in methane emissions reporting, assess existing greenhouse gas policies with a focus on measurement, reporting, and verification, and develop recommendations to improve national and sectoral policies on hydrocarbon production and transportation. 

During the three-day training, an international expert will present specially designed modules to support the further development of a roadmap and action plan to align national efforts with global best practices and effectively implement national strategies for methane emissions reduction. Participants will also be shown the importance of investments in monitoring systems and emissions-reduction technologies in the context of Turkmenistan’s global climate commitments. 

“Methane is a potent greenhouse gas and a major driver of near-term warming, with over 80 times the warming impact of carbon dioxide. Addressing these emissions represents one of the most immediate and cost-effective opportunities to advance climate targets,” noted UNDP international expert Alexey Zakharov.

“Building the capacity of specialists from key ministries and agencies, including the oil and gas, environmental, energy, and statistics sectors, will contribute to the further development of data collection, monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) systems. This is also critical for Turkmenistan to fulfill its greenhouse gas reduction commitments under the updated NDC 3.0 of the Paris Agreement,” said Farhat Orunov, Head of the UNDP Environmental Portfolio in Turkmenistan.