Kazakhstan and the US have agreed to collaborate on policies and projects to reduce methane emissions in the the central Asian country, especially from the fossil fuel energy sector.
In a joint announcement issued late on 2 December, the countries said they aim to advance Kazakhstan's methane reduction over the next two years by co-operating on best practices for coal mine methane mitigation, including the de-gasification of coal seams and the capture and utilisation of coal mine methane.
They will also collaborate to implement comprehensive leak detection and the repair and elimination of routine venting of methane across the oil and gas sector, including state-controlled oil and gas firm Kazmunaigaz facilities, using satellite and other technologies to monitor and mitigate methane emissions. They hope to also establish national standards to eliminate non-emergency venting of methane and to require leak detection and repair in the sector "as soon as possible before 2030," according to the countries.
The US said it aims to work with partners to mobilise investments to help progress methane mitigation in Kazakhstan's oil and gas sector, which will need at least $1.4bn in funding through 2030, according to IEA estimates.
Kazakhstan announced at the UN Cop 28 climate summit on 1 December that it is joining the Global Methane Pledge. The Global Methane Pledge, which was first launched at Cop 26 in November 2021, is aimed at cutting methane emissions from human activity by 30pc by 2030, from a 2020 baseline, and has 150 countries as signatories.
