Turkmenistan is going to announce joining the Global Methane Pledge (GMP) at the 28th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28), according to a statement made by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Rashid Meredov at a government meeting on Friday, 24 November.
The issue of Turkmenistan’s accession to the GMP was discussed at a meeting of the Interdepartmental Commission on Environmental Protection on 23 November. Meredov reported on the ongoing preparations for Turkmenistan’s participation in COP28, as well as on the documents that are planned to be adopted during the conference and the events that are expected to take place on the sidelines of the event.
The COP28 will highlight global efforts to reduce methane emissions and commitment to joining the GMP as a key step in combating climate change.
Meredov outlined the main steps that Turkmenistan has taken in this direction:
- At COP26, Turkmenistan expressed support for the GMP initiative and indicated its interest in studying it in more detail.
- On 2 June 2023, a high-level Intersectoral Commission on Reducing Methane Emissions was established by a decree of the President of Turkmenistan.
- A Roadmap for the Development of International Cooperation Aimed at Studying the Issue of Turkmenistan’s Accession to the Global Methane Pledge for 2023-2024 was approved.
- Turkmenistan is also working with the US Agency for International Development (USAID) on methane reduction efforts.
To date, approximately 150 countries have joined the GMP.
Meredov proposed that Turkmenistan continue to cooperate with international organizations and partner countries on joint projects and programs aimed at meeting the GMP requirements at the national level.
In addition, the relevant ministries and departments of Turkmenistan have analyzed the documents that are planned to be adopted at COP28. Based on this analysis, Turkmenistan is considering joining a number of these documents.
President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, commenting on the report, emphasized the importance of the documents that are planned to be adopted at COP28. He called for further strengthening cooperation with the participating parties and gave specific instructions to Meredov in this regard.
Ashirguly Begliyev, Advisor to the President of Turkmenistan on Oil and Gas Issues, also reported on the measures that Turkmenistan is already taking in line with the GMP commitments.
He provided information on concrete steps that are being taken to reduce methane emissions into the atmosphere, including the use of modern environmentally friendly and resource-saving technologies in the fields of energy, industry, and transport.
About the Global Methane Pledge
https://www.globalmethanepledge.org/
The Global Methane Commitment was launched in November 2021 in Glasgow at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP-26).
Participants joining the Pledge agree to take voluntary actions to contribute to a collective effort to reduce global methane emissions at least 30% from 2020 levels by 2030, which could eliminate over 0.2˚C warming by 2050. This is a global, not a national reduction target.
Participants also commit to moving towards using the highest tier IPCC good practice inventory methodologies, as well as working to continuously improve the accuracy, transparency, consistency, comparability, and completeness of national greenhouse gas inventory reporting under the UNFCCC and Paris Agreement, and to provide greater transparency in key sectors.
To date, 150 countries have joined to the Global Methane Pledge. ///nCa, 25 November 2023
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