Energy News
CLIMATE SCIENCE
Reclusive Turkmenistan announces move to cut methane emissions
Reclusive Turkmenistan announces move to cut methane emissions
by AFP Staff Writers
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan (AFP) June 5, 2023
Reclusive Turkmenistan, one of the world's most closed countries and a top methane emitter, said Monday that it would create a commission to reduce leaks of the potent planet heating gas.

Methane emissions generate around 30 percent of global warming and scientific reports have found that the gas-rich Central Asian state's output is colossal.

The decision would be important for the world's climate and came as an unexpected announcement from an authoritarian country that is largely shut off from the world.

It was signed by President Serdar Berdymukhamedov, who took over as president last year from his father Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov.

The Turkmen president "signed a resolution on the establishment of an interpectoral commission to reduce methane emissions," said Turkmenistan's official media of the energy sector, Nebit-Gaz.

The announcement came several days after Berdymukhamedov spoke with US climate envoy John Kerry by phone.

Covered in sand, Turkmenistan inherited a system of rusty gas and oil pipelines, from the Soviet era, suffering from a lack of investment.

Little information trickles out from Turkmenistan.

But with the help of satellite surveillance, scientists can track methane emissions and locate where the gas is being emitted.

NASA last year spotted a methane emission extending over more than 32 kilometres in the desert-covered country.

In 2021, the International Energy Agency (IEA) announced the country -- which sits on the fourth largest gas reserves in the world -- alone generated a third of the main emissions detected by satellite.

According to an investigation by the UK's Guardian newspaper, Turkmenistan is a "super-emitter" of the potent gas into the atmosphere, with more than 1,000 sites leaking the gas.

"The worst single leak spewed the pollution at a rate equivalent to 67m running cars," The Guardian found.

Methane remains in the atmosphere for only about 10 years, but has a much more powerful warming impact than CO2.

Atmospheric methane is the second largest contributor to climate change, after carbon dioxide.

al-bk/bur/pvh

BP

Related Links
Climate Science News - Modeling, Mitigation Adaptation

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
CLIMATE SCIENCE
US climate envoy in UAE meets head of COP28
Dubai (AFP) June 4, 2023
US special climate envoy John Kerry has met senior Emirati officials in Abu Dhabi, including the head of the United Nations' upcoming climate change conference, official media reported Sunday. The choice of Sultan Al Jaber, chief executive of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, to head December's COP28 summit in Dubai has angered climate activists and some Western legislators who fear it will hold back progress on reducing emissions. Kerry met with Al Jaber and the UAE foreign minister, Abdullah ... read more

CLIMATE SCIENCE
EU probes alleged fraudulent biofuel from China

E-fuels - DLR selects Leuna as location for its PtL technology platform

WVU researcher searching for 'holy grail' of sustainable bioenergy

New catalyst transforms carbon dioxide into sustainable byproduct

CLIMATE SCIENCE
Quantum visualization technique gives insight into photosynthesis

Design proposal could double space solar cell efficiency

The next generation of solar energy collectors could be rocks

Controlling crystal lattices of hybrid solar cell materials with terahertz light

CLIMATE SCIENCE
Brazil faces dilemma: endangered macaw vs. wind farm

Spire to provide TrueOcean with weather forecasts for offshore wind farm development

Sweden greenlights two offshore windpower farms

European leaders vow to boost North Sea wind energy production

CLIMATE SCIENCE
Thailand cuts power to Chinese-backed casino complex in Myanmar

Energy efficiency investments need to triple: IEA

Ukraine asks Europe to double electricity supplies

675 million people worldwide without electricity: report

CLIMATE SCIENCE
Turning up the heat

Zap Energy charts roadmap for measuring fusion gain

Tiny quantum electronic vortexes can circulate in superconductors

DOE award to Zap Energy for fusion pilot plant design

CLIMATE SCIENCE
Canada fires trigger air quality alerts for 100 mn in US: govt

Smoke from Canadian wildfires cloaks eastern US with haze

'Swimming in plastic': Greek fishermen fight pollution

Major US firms agree to $1.2 bn 'forever chemicals' settlement

CLIMATE SCIENCE
Blinken, Saudi crown prince discuss cooperation on security in Jeddah

Emirati COP28 chief recognises reduction of fossil fuel use 'inevitable'

UAE state oil firm read climate summit emails: report

The University of Manchester lead innovation in clean hydrogen production

CLIMATE SCIENCE
Mars in colour as never seen before

20 years of Mars Express: Mars as never seen before

Mars Express by the numbers

30 Kilometers and Counting: Sols 3845-3847

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2026 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.