Azerbaijani minister highlights urgent need to reduce methane emissions from waste sector

The waste sector, responsible for approximately 20 per cent of global methane emissions, has emerged as a crucial area for climate action, Azerbaijan’s Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources and COP29 President, Mukhtar Babayev said.

In his remarks at the event “Reducing Methane Emissions from Organic Waste for Climate Action” on the sidelines of the COP29 conference, Babayev underscored the growing urgency of addressing methane emissions, a potent greenhouse gas that is significantly contributing to climate change, Caliber.Az reports per local media.

“Methane emissions are primarily generated by the decomposition of organic waste in landfills, open pools, and wastewater,” Babayev explained. He referenced the UNEP's Global Methane Assessment, which calls for a reduction of methane emissions from the waste sector by 30-35per cent by 2030, and by 55 per cent by 2050, in order to meet global climate targets and limit warming to 1.5°C. These ambitious goals, Babayev noted, will not only provide environmental benefits but will also bring substantial socio-economic gains.

Babayev further emphasized that the waste sector presents a unique opportunity for transformative change. He highlighted the adoption of the COP29 Declaration on reducing methane emissions from organic waste, a key document that he believes will serve as a catalyst for more ambitious global efforts. The Declaration, he noted, will encourage more nations to participate in the Global Methane Pledge, driving international collaboration toward reducing methane emissions.

“The waste sector can be a powerful driver of change. Today’s Declaration is an important step in building momentum and achieving our climate targets,” Babayev concluded.

By Vafa Guliyeva