Central Asian Countries Advance Regional Methane Action: From Commitments to Implementation through Partnership

Government representatives from across Central Asia and Azerbaijan joined international partners in Astana for a regional technical roundtable focused on accelerating methane mitigation through stronger policy frameworks, investment pipelines, and practical implementation support.  

Convened during the Regional Environmental Summit (RES 2026), the event was co-organized by the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Kazakhstan (MENR) and the UNEP-convened Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC). The roundtable is part of a peer-to-peer exchange under the CCAC Super Pollutants Country Accelerator Programme.

Participants included representatives from Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Azerbaijan, alongside international organizations, development finance institutions, and technical experts. Participating organizations included UNEP’s International Methane Emissions Observatory (IMEO), United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the Global Methane Hub (GMH), Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Program, the Asian Development Bank, International Energy Agency, Environmental Defense Fund, Clean Air Task Force, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, as well as representatives from academia, civil society, diplomatic missions, and other regional organizations.

The event focused on supporting countries to transition from methane commitments to implementation through coordinated action, knowledge exchange, and targeted support.

From Commitment to Implementation

Discussions focused on how countries can move from methane commitments to implementation across the fossil fuels, waste, and agriculture sectors. Participants emphasized that methane mitigation remains one of the fastest and most effective opportunities to slow near-term warming, while delivering immediate benefits for air quality, public health, and food systems.

Across the region, countries are increasingly integrating methane into national climate strategies and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and are now transitioning toward implementation, with many countries advancing policy frameworks while addressing key gaps in data, finance, and capacity.

Peer-to-Peer Exchange Driving Regional Progress

The roundtable provided a platform for countries including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Azerbaijan to share experiences, challenges, and priorities.

Despite different national contexts, countries highlighted common needs, including:

• strengthening policy and regulatory frameworks
• improving methane data and MRV systems
• developing investment-ready project pipelines
• and building institutional and technical capacity

This exchange reinforced the value of peer learning and regional collaboration in accelerating progress.

The Role of the CCAC Accelerator Programme

The discussion highlighted the role of the  CCAC Super Pollutants Country Accelerator Programme as a key mechanism to support countries in translating ambition into action.

The Accelerator provides:

• embedded government teams to support national coordination, capacity building, and integration of super pollutants into policies and planning processes;
• tailored assistance across priority sectors;
• support for MRV systems and policy development;
• support for implementation pilots and a pathway to develop bankable investment pipelines.

By aligning technical assistance, policy support, and financing, the programme aims to bridge the gap between planning and large-scale implementation, while helping to unlock public and private finance and strengthen coordination across partners.

Shared Regional Priorities

Despite differing national contexts, participating countries identified common priorities:

• strengthening policy and regulatory frameworks;
• improving methane data and MRV systems;
• developing investment-ready project pipelines; and
• building institutional and technical capacity.

The exchange reinforced the value of regional cooperation and peer learning in accelerating progress.

Partnerships to Unlock Scale

Participants emphasized that effective methane mitigation requires coordinated action among governments, development banks, technical partners, and the private sector.

The CCAC Super Pollutants Country Accelerator Programme was highlighted as an important mechanism to help countries translate ambition into action through embedded technical support, tailored sector assistance, policy and MRV development, and pathways for bankable investment pipelines.

The roundtable also enabled direct dialogue between countries and partners to better align national priorities with available technical assistance and financing opportunities.

Looking Ahead: A Regional Pathway for Action

Participants expressed a shared commitment to:

• strengthen regional cooperation and knowledge exchange;
• accelerate the development of bankable methane mitigation projects;
• and scale up implementation through coordinated support.

As Central Asian countries advance their climate commitments, methane mitigation is expected to play a critical role in delivering near-term climate impact and long-term sustainable development.