Methane mega‑leaks in Turkey

The Guardian found that the Silivri municipal landfill near Istanbul is emitting a methane plume visible from space and leaking on average 7.4 tonnes of methane an hour, a rate the University of California, Los Angeles researchers rank among the worst in the world. UCLA said the site’s planet-warming impact equals running 1.5 million gas-guzzling SUVs and identified similarly large ‘‘super-emitting’’ dumps across Turkey from İzmir to Ankara to Antalya. Residents of nearby villages describe a suffocating odor they have endured for years and said fear of reprisals discouraged public complaints. Turkey is due to host the UN climate summit Cop31 in November and has placed methane cuts high on its agenda; first lady Emine Erdoğan has campaigned internationally on zero waste and methane reduction. Istanbul’s municipal waste operator İstaç appeared surprised when shown satellite images of the leak from its office, and UCLA described several of the Turkish landfill plumes as ‘‘mind bogglingly large.’' The revelations create an awkward spotlight ahead of Cop31 on the host country’s own methane emissions and its credibility promoting global methane action.