BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 8. Azerbaijan is set to develop a national roadmap aimed at reducing methane emissions in the agricultural sector, the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) and UN Environment Programme (UNEP) representative Amina Akhmetzhanova said, Trend’s correspondent reports from the event.
She made the remarks on the second day of Baku Climate Action Week 2026 (BCAW 2026).
She said that CCAC supports countries in addressing short-lived climate pollutants, including methane, black carbon, hydrofluorocarbons and tropospheric ozone. “Methane is particularly important because it is a powerful but relatively short-lived climate pollutant. This means that reducing methane emissions can help slow the pace of global warming within a relatively short period of time,” Akhmetzhanova said.
She noted that discussions on reducing methane emissions in agriculture should focus not only on emissions cuts, but also on the benefits these measures can bring to farmers and production efficiency. “Reducing methane emissions can support farmers, increase productivity, improve the efficiency of agricultural resource use and create investment opportunities,” she said.
According to Akhmetzhanova, improving the quality and optimization of animal feed can help livestock use feed more efficiently, increase milk and meat production, while reducing methane emissions.
She added that improving animal health, breeding practices and herd management can also contribute to higher productivity and more efficient use of resources. “Better manure management can reduce methane emissions while also creating additional value. In some agricultural systems, manure can be used as a source of biogas and energy. Therefore, it should not be viewed only as waste,” Akhmetzhanova said.
She noted that Azerbaijan already has an important foundation for advancing this work. Azerbaijan became a government partner of CCAC in 2024 and has also joined the Global Methane Pledge. “As a participant in the Global Methane Pledge, Azerbaijan contributes to the collective goal of countries to reduce methane emissions by 30% by 2030 compared with 2020 levels,” she said.
Akhmetzhanova added that the modernization of Azerbaijan’s agricultural development program provides an important opportunity to link climate action with the modernization of the livestock sector, increased productivity and improved resilience. “Within this framework, we are pleased to announce cooperation between the Ministry of Agriculture and CCAC. We have launched a project to develop a National Roadmap for reducing methane emissions in agriculture, with a focus on the livestock sector,” she said.
According to her, the main objective of the roadmap is to develop a practical action plan aligned with Azerbaijan’s national circumstances and priorities.
Akhmetzhanova said the roadmap will first identify the main sources of emissions. The assessment will examine methane emissions in Azerbaijan’s livestock sector, production systems, animal digestion processes and manure management practices. “The second key question is which solutions are most suitable for Azerbaijan’s livestock sector. The roadmap will assess priority measures tailored to the country’s agricultural sector, including improved feeding practices, animal health development and manure management,” she added.
