On 13–14 May, one of the key sessions at the 7th Central Asian Climate Change Conference (CACCC-2025) in Ashgabat focused on reducing methane emissions — a potent greenhouse gas — and examined the part played by the Global Methane Pledge within regional climate strategies. The session promoted the sharing of practical measures and policy approaches to mitigate methane emissions, which are crucial for meeting short-term climate goals.
The session featured contributions from the project “EU for a Green Turkmenistan: Policy Dialogue and Climate Action 2024–2028,” co-financed by the European Union and the German Federal Foreign Office and implemented by GIZ. The project team presented insights from a pilot initiative focused on the introduction of LDAR (Leak Detection and Repair) technologies, aimed at reducing methane emissions in the natural gas sector. The session also included the sharing of international best practices, early research results, and efforts to promote renewable energy solutions across Turkmenistan.
The discussion was co-moderated by Dr. Caroline Milow, Programme Manager for “Green Central Asia”, GIZ, and James Turitto, Director of Global Campaigns for Methane Pollution Prevention at the Clean Air Task Force. Both underscored the urgency of joint action and international collaboration to address methane emissions in the region.
The session’s primary goal was to foster constructive dialogue among government authorities, industry leaders, and international partners to accelerate methane mitigation efforts. It also aimed to strengthen regional cooperation, enhance technical assistance, and support transparent implementation of climate commitments across Central Asia.
