Throughout its centuries-old history, humankind has strived to be closer to nature and to treat its resources and clean environment with great care. As a result of the development of the era and the constant improvement of technologies, such important issues as environment protection, the elimination of harmful energy waste and the regular enrichment of flora and fauna in the vast expanses of nature arise. In this regard, first of all, as modern advanced science confirms, the transition to renewable energy sources is considered an urgent need. This project, implemented in the leading countries of the world and yielding positive results, is scientifically substantiated and is actively being introduced in Turkmenistan. 

As is known, Turkmenistan, being an active participant in the international dialogue on environmental issues, makes a worthy contribution to solving important issues related to the future of humanity and advocates the development of positive cooperation within the UN and other authoritative international organizations. It is worth noting that in 2023, a high-level interdepartmental group on methane emissions reduction was formed in the country. In December of the same year, Turkmenistan’s accession to the Global Methane Pledge was officially announced. In addition, a Roadmap for cooperation with foreign countries and international organizations to reduce methane emissions into the atmosphere was adopted. As a result, by the end of 2024 alone, methane emissions in Turkmenistan had been reduced by 11 percent. 

As is known, the fight against climate change is becoming one of the main principles of the energy policy of countries around the world. The future of the energy sector will largely depend on how the problems of climate change and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals are addressed in a particular country and in the world.

It should be noted that within the framework of international cooperation in the sphere of green energy, Turkmenistan maintains close ties with the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ). As long-term cooperation shows, the GIZ project portfolio for Central Asia, including Turkmenistan, covers many areas.

Today, the energy sector is one of the engines of economic development of any country, and its global significance is growing. As one of the mighty energy powers, our country is pursuing an active foreign policy in this area. The Energy Diplomacy Development Program of Turkmenistan for 2021–2025 is an important document in this area. 

Renewable energy sources play a special role in ensuring energy security. Renewable energy sources include solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, river, sea and ocean energy. The use of solar and wind energy in our country is considered a promising area. 

The use of renewable energy sources in Turkmenistan, especially in areas remote from centralized energy networks, in particular in the Karakum Desert, is an urgent task. The first successes in this direction have already been achieved, and ambitious goals are set for the future.

The use of green energy sources is one of the priority areas of Turkmenistan’s energy diplomacy. Reducing human impact on nature requires joint efforts at the international level. Environmental well-being is a particularly important area for the Central Asian region. 

Our country is also developing cooperation with international organizations and financial institutions to introduce renewable energy sources. An example of this is the project aimed at introducing integrated solutions in the field of renewable energy for the accelerated green transformation of Turkmenistan. 

The main goal of the project, which is part of the long-term strategy of the Asian Development Bank to support the sustainable development of Turkmenistan, is to develop a detailed roadmap for the introduction of solar energy, including the creation of innovative smart and green cities. The pilot project is expected to provide the annual generation of more than 4 GWh of renewable energy, which will significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions – by more than 3 thousand tons a year.

Muhammet BEKGIYEV,
Responsible Secretary at the Türkmenistan Newspaper