Satellite Spots Massive Methane Leaks in Turkey

Satellites have detected significant methane leaks from landfills in Turkey, a country preparing to host COP31 in Antalya from November 9 to 20. While Turkey has made methane reduction a priority for the climate summit, data indicates that its waste sector is a substantial contributor to global methane emissions.

Turkey ranks as the world's fifth-largest emitter of methane from solid waste, with significant plumes detected from its highest-emitting waste sites, including those near Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, and Antalya. Even with gas capture systems in place at larger municipal landfills to generate electricity, substantial methane release persists, highlighting the difficulty in achieving rapid cuts.

Researchers identified a landfill west of Istanbul near Seymen as one of the world's largest recorded landfill emitters. While Turkey's Environment Ministry stated that satellite data may not accurately reflect annual emissions, it also noted a rise in the national waste recovery rate to 37.53% in 2025. However, methane emissions from waste in Turkey rose nearly 25% in the decade to 2024, a rate significantly higher than the global average.

Despite the urgency, Turkey is not a participant in the Global Methane Pledge, which aims for a 30% cut in methane emissions by 2030. Experts suggest that addressing emissions at the largest landfills could yield significant gains, emphasizing the need for improved collection systems and regulatory measures to push operators towards better methane capture and reuse.