Methane Emissions in Turkey

Turkey's Landfill Emissions: A Challenge for COP31

Turkey is preparing to host the COP31 climate summit, but its landfills are emitting large amounts of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. A landfill near Istanbul is generating electricity from captured waste gas, but satellites have detected methane escaping at about 7.4 tons an hour on average.

Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) analyzed satellite observations that revealed significant methane emissions from several Turkish landfill sites. The results were based on publicly available Carbon Mapper data from the Tanager-1 satellite from January 2025 through the end of May 2026.

Methane Emissions from Landfills

Analysis reported by Reuters found 70 methane plumes across Turkey's 10 highest emitting waste sites. The emissions detected varied between 841 kg/hour and 7.4 metric tons/hour on average. Three of the big sites were found around Istanbul, while other sites were located near Ankara, Izmir and Antalya.

The landfill near Seymen, west of Istanbul, had an average detected emission rate of about 7.4 tons an hour, putting it near the world's highest emitting landfill sites. The Seymen facility receives about 8,500 tons of household waste daily, a significant portion of the estimated 20,000 tons of waste generated daily in Istanbul.

Converting Waste Gas to Power

The methane is produced as organic waste buried underground decays and is collected by municipal operator ISTAC. The gas captured is then used by an energy company to generate electricity at a facility that began operating in 2020. The plant generates roughly 22,000 megawatt-hours of electricity every month, according to a 2025 report by the energy news website Enerji Gunlugu.

Yet the existence of collection infrastructure has not stopped large emissions. Researchers have not yet figured out how much methane the facility captures, and ISTAC officials have questioned whether the satellite observations are representative of the facility's typical emissions.

Why Cutting Methane Matters

Methane is the second biggest driver of climate change after carbon dioxide, with a warming potential more than 80 times greater than carbon dioxide over its first 20 years in the atmosphere. Cutting the amount released therefore has relatively rapid climate benefits.

According to Reuters, Turkey is the world's fifth-largest emitter of methane from solid waste, behind China, the United States, Russia and Brazil, Climate TRACE says. According to data from the World Bank, Turkey's methane emissions from the waste sector have increased nearly 25% between 2014 and 2024, compared to a 6.5% increase globally.

COP31 and Turkey's Waste Management

Turkey's waste management system is an opportunity for large emissions reductions. There is an opportunity to improve the gas collection infrastructure, to fix damaged landfill covers, and to divert organic waste away from disposal sites, said Tia Scarpelli, waste sector lead at Carbon Mapper.

Turkey's Environment Ministry has been promoting its Zero Waste Initiative, which seeks to boost recycling and reduce the volume of waste going to landfill. The country's waste recovery rate increased to 37.53% in 2025 from 13% in 2017, the report said.

• Turkey is not a signatory to the Global Methane Pledge that was launched at COP26 in 2021 to cut methane emissions collectively by 30% from 2020 levels by 2030.
• The country's methane emissions from the waste sector have increased nearly 25% between 2014 and 2024.
• Turkey's waste recovery rate increased to 37.53% in 2025 from 13% in 2017.

Implications for India

India, as a significant emitter of methane, can learn from Turkey's experiences in managing landfill emissions. The Indian government has been promoting waste-to-energy initiatives, but the country still faces significant challenges in reducing methane emissions from landfills.

The Indian Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has launched several initiatives to reduce waste and promote recycling, but more needs to be done to address the issue of methane emissions from landfills.

Expert Perspective

Experts say that reducing methane emissions from landfills requires a multi-faceted approach, including improving waste management infrastructure, increasing recycling rates, and promoting the use of renewable energy sources.

Timeline of Events

The issue of methane emissions from landfills has been gaining attention in recent years, with several key events and milestones, including:

• 2021: The Global Methane Pledge is launched at COP26, aiming to cut methane emissions collectively by 30% from 2020 levels by 2030.
• 2025: Turkey's waste recovery rate increases to 37.53% from 13% in 2017.
• 2026: Satellite data reveals significant methane emissions from Turkish landfill sites.

What to Watch Next

As Turkey prepares to host COP31, the country's methane emissions from landfills will be under scrutiny. The international community will be watching to see how Turkey addresses this issue and whether the country will commit to reducing its methane emissions.

The outcomes of COP31 will have significant implications for India and other countries, as the global community works together to address the challenge of climate change.

In the coming months, we can expect to see more data and analysis on Turkey's methane emissions from landfills, as well as updates on the country's progress in reducing these emissions.

Additionally, the Indian government's initiatives to reduce waste and promote recycling will be closely watched, as the country seeks to reduce its methane emissions and contribute to global efforts to address climate change.