Methane, the main component of natural gas, is a major contributor to global warming, and is far more potent than carbon dioxide in preventing heat from escaping the Earth’s atmosphere. According to a new study, much of the human-generated methane now escaping into the atmosphere is containable. It adds that Eurasia is a significant source of global methane emissions, and regional governments’ deeds are not matching their words when it comes to addressing the issue.

The Global Methane Tracker 2025, published by the International Energy Agency (IEA), asserts that methane emissions have not yet reached a “definitive peak,” despite international reduction efforts. Globally, “record production of oil, gas and coal, combined with limited mitigation efforts” produced more than 120mn tonnes of methane emissions in 2024, about 7% of which originated from abandoned wells and mines. Russia generates about 60% of methane emissions in Eurasia, but Turkmenistan is also a major emitter. Overall, Eurasian states were responsible for generating about 22mn tonnes of methane last year, according to the report.

“Emissions events large enough to be detected by satellites are common in Turkmenistan, representing around one-third of all observations from the Methane Alert and Response System,” the report stated. “While satellite coverage is very limited in Russia – due to ice and snow and prolonged periods of limited daylight – around 90 plumes were observed over Russian territory in 2024.”

Although not counted in the report, Kazakhstan was the scene of one of the world’s worst methane leaks during the second half of 2023. A blowout and subsequent fire at a well in western Kazakhstan went undetected for over six months, releasing about 127,000 tonnes of methane into the atmosphere, an amount capable of powering hundreds of thousands of cars for a year.

While energy production is a major cause of global emissions, the report also identifies “incomplete combustion of traditional biomass used in cooking and heating,” as well as the agricultural and waste sectors, as important sources of methane.

Every Eurasian emitter participates in a World Bank Initiative known as Zero Routine Flaring by 2030. Meanwhile, Russia is the lone regional producer not participating in the Global Methane Pledge, a joint US-EU initiative. The pledge calls on 159 participating states to “take voluntary actions to contribute to a collective effort to reduce global methane emissions at least 30 percent from 2020 levels by 2030.” 

The report states that "all major emitters in Eurasia participate in some sort of methane regulation initiatives, but with little real results." Azerbaijan is the only Eurasian producer boasting a lower methane intensity, defined as the ratio of methane emissions to the amount of gas produced, than the global average, the report adds.

Roughly 70% of all methane emissions connected to fossil fuel extraction and production could be eliminated at little cost through the implementation of existing technologies, the report contends. “Around 35 Mt [million tonnes] of total methane emissions from oil, gas and coal could be avoided at no net cost, based on average energy prices in 2024,” it states. “This is because the required outlays for abatement measures are less than the market value of the additional methane gas captured and sold or used.”

For Eurasia, the report indicates that roughly 45% of fossil fuel-related methane emissions in 2024 could have been eliminated using cost-neutral measures. “Leak detection and repair (LDAR) is the single-most effective measure for reducing fossil fuel methane in the region,” it adds.

Excessive methane emissions pose a major challenge for Turkmenistan, which has shown interest in exporting an increasing volume of its gas to the European Union. A US Energy Department report released in early 2025 noted that “high methane emissions from its [Ashgabat’s] oil and natural gas fields may prevent its exports from complying with the EU’s 2030 import emission limits.”

A monitoring website operated by Capterio, an entity that provides “gas-flaring solutions for energy companies to capture flared gas,” noted that methane emissions at one notorious site in Turkmenistan have decreased recently. An update posted last October praised the state energy company Turkmengaz for taking steps to contain a flare at the Darvaza Crater, which tourists have dubbed “the Gates of Hell.” Flaring at the site has decreased in late 2024 by “1 million standard cubic feet per day,” compared to the year-earlier period.

This article first appeared on Eurasianet here.