Turkey is facing questions over its landfill methane emissions as it prepares to host COP31 in Antalya. Satellite data from the Tanager-1 mission and Carbon Mapper, analyzed by UCLA researchers, identified 70 methane plumes at the country's ten highest-emitting landfill sites. The Seymen landfill in Istanbul showed emissions of about 7.4 tonnes per hour, a figure its operator ISTAC disputes due to maintenance work and operational conditions. Methane from solid waste in Turkey rose nearly 25% between 2014 and 2024. The government has promoted its Zero Waste Initiative, but Turkey has not joined the Global Methane Pledge, the voluntary effort to cut methane emissions 30% by 2030. The timing is awkward because Turkey will host the UN climate summit, and waste methane is one of the more cost-effective sectors to address with landfill gas capture.
