SAMARKAND, June 5. /Dunyo IA/. A Memorandum of Cooperation was signed between the Center for State Ecological Expertise and the Italian branch of the International Association for Impact Assessment (IAIA) to introduce artificial intelligence into the environmental impact assessment system and develop human resource capacity, reports Dunyo IA correspondent.

The document marks a significant step toward the consistent implementation of modern digital technologies and AI-based solutions within the national system of environmental expertise and environmental impact assessment.

The signing ceremony was attended by Gairat Mukhamedov, Director General of the Center for State Ecological Expertise, Giuseppe Magro, President of the Italian branch of IAIA, as well as representatives of the Ministry of Environment and Energy Security of Italy and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

The memorandum is being implemented within the framework of the “Permitting 5.0” international concept promoted by IAIA, which is based on the use of artificial intelligence and the Environmental Governance Platform (EGP). The system aims to increase the transparency, quality, and efficiency of environmental impact assessment procedures in line with international standards.

Among the priority areas of cooperation are the integration of artificial intelligence tools into the Center's current digital system to automate the analysis of environmental documentation, preliminary project assessment, and cumulative environmental impact forecasting; the implementation of pilot projects to test new technological solutions; the development of a national methodology for introducing artificial intelligence into environmental assessment, taking into account international experience; as well as the organization of international training sessions, webinars, and professional development programs for digital technology specialists.

The memorandum is signed for a period of five years and reflects the alignment of the parties' long-term strategic goals in the field of digitalization of environmental management.

The implementation of the initiative is expected to contribute to the development of a “green” economy in Uzbekistan, the improvement of the investment climate in the environmental protection sector, and the further strengthening of international confidence in the environmental reforms being carried out in the country.