As stated by the EBRD, Uzbekistan is contributing to international efforts to combat global warming by participating in the Global Methane Pledge aimed at the reduction of methane emissions by 30 per cent by 2030. It has become the second country in Central Asia, a region known for high-intensity greenhouse gas emissions, to join the agreement.

Methane emissions are a significant economic loss but also an important source of greenhouse gas emissions. Methane, in fact, has a very high impact on global warming, between 28 and 84 times higher than CO2 (depending on the Global Warming Potential used).

In the energy sector, methane loses are happening along the gas supply chain from upstream production, to processing and transportation, to final distribution. The most typical sources of methane emissions include: equipment leaks, process venting, evaporation losses, disposal of waste gas streams, other unintentional emissions and equipment failures.
While there is still limited reliable data on actual measurement and specific location of methane emissions in Uzbekistan, according to the latest official data reported in 2021 by the Government of Uzbekistan to the UNFCCC (“First Biannual Update Report of the Republic of Uzbekistan under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change”), total methane emissions in Uzbekistan in 2017 were 73.1 million tonnes of CO2e. Methane emissions are distributed across Energy (69%), Agriculture (28%) and Waste (3%) sectors. Methane emissions in the energy sector in 2017 were 49.1 million tonnes CO2e (99% in the gas infrastructure, up by 7.2% since 1990, 38.6% of the country’s total annual GHG emissions). More recently, according to the 2022 Methane Tracker data by the International Energy Agency, domestic methane emissions were estimated in around  65 million tonnes of CO2e. Methane leaks from coal and oil production are insignificant relative to other categories. In agribusiness sector, methane emission is 2017 were 21.1 million tonnes CO2e, showing a steady increase since 1990 due to the increase in number of livestock farms. In the waste sector in 2017 methane emissions were 2.5 million tonnes CO2e and mainly from landfills.

For this reason, reducing methane emissions is a very powerful action to contribute to the overall reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the fulfilment of national commitments of Uzbekistan towards the Paris Agreement on climate change.

The proposed Programme, will aim at:

• Undertaking pilot measurement campaigns with ground and airborne emerging technologies at selected facilities owned and operated by the above relevant stakeholders.
• Improving accuracy of methane emissions measurement data.
• Introducing a robust inventory of methane emissions as well as procedures and templates for periodic reporting.
• Developing a roadmap for reducing methane emissions, comprising of technical and economic studies for actions, improvements and investments along the supply chain.
• Providing policy dialogue on the improvement of policies and regulations on methane emissions in the natural gas, wastes management and agribusiness sectors.
• Providing capacity building and training to the stakeholders on the Programme, its relevance, impacts as well as operational recommendations for a sustained continuation of the Programme by the stakeholders once the assignment is completed.

Investment amount not provided at the time of disclosure.

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