A two-day seminar on "Best Practices of the Regulatory Framework for Reducing Gas Emission (including Methane), Inventory, and Calculation" was held at the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat.
The event brought together key stakeholders, including the state concerns “Turkmengaz” and “Turkmennebit,” the State Corporation “Turkmengeologiya,” the Ministry of Environmental Protection of Turkmenistan, the Ministry of Energy, and the project office of the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC) in Turkmenistan.
Mergen Kepbanov, the Director of the Project Office of CAREC in Turkmenistan, highlighted the global focus on greenhouse gas emissions.
"Turkmenistan pays close attention to environmental issues. By a special decree of the President of Turkmenistan dated July 14, 2023, a separate ministry responsible for state policy in the field of environmental protection was created by dividing the Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection of Turkmenistan," Mergen Kepbanov stated.
Turkmenistan has ratified major multilateral agreements on climate change, including the Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Climate Agreement.
The country’s climate policy is outlined in the National Strategy of Turkmenistan on Climate Change, detailing its priorities and plans in this area.
Despite being a producer of hydrocarbon resources, Turkmenistan is committed to the gradual reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, particularly methane.
To enhance control over efforts to systematically reduce greenhouse gases, especially methane emissions across various sectors, an intersectoral commission on reducing methane emissions was established in June 2023 by the decree of the President of Turkmenistan.
At the COP 28 Climate Summit in Dubai on December 1, 2023, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov announced Turkmenistan's accession to the Global Methane Commitment.
Consequently, the seminar aimed to review existing legislation on greenhouse gas emissions, including methane, from countries such as the Russian Federation, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan. It also covered regulatory mechanisms for the validation, verification, and reporting of CO2 emissions.
Topics discussed included emission calculations, reporting, quotas, and the circulation of carbon units.
Additional information:
Mergen Kepbanov, Director of the Project Office of the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC) in Turkmenistan, turkmenistan@carececo.org.