Uzbekistan and Italy have signed a new cooperation memorandum aimed at introducing artificial intelligence into environmental impact assessment systems, marking a step forward in the digital transformation of ecological governance.

According to the agreement, the State Environmental Expertise Center under Uzbekistan’s National Committee for Ecology and Climate Change and the Italian branch of the International Association for Impact Assessment (IAIA) will work together to modernize how environmental risks are evaluated and managed, The Caspian Post reports via UzDaily.

The signing ceremony brought together key figures including the Director General of the State Environmental Expertise Center, Gayrat Mukhamedov, IAIA Italy President Giuseppe Magro, as well as representatives from Italy’s Ministry for the Environment and Energy Security and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

The partnership is part of IAIA’s broader “Permitting 5.0” initiative, which promotes the use of artificial intelligence and Environmental Governance Platforms (EGP) to improve transparency, efficiency, and scientific accuracy in environmental decision-making.

Under the agreement, priority areas include integrating AI tools into Uzbekistan’s environmental assessment systems, automating the analysis of environmental documentation, and improving the ability to forecast the cumulative impact of development projects on nature.

The two sides also plan to launch pilot projects, develop a national framework for AI adoption in environmental expertise based on international standards, and organize training programs, webinars, and professional development courses for Uzbek specialists.

The memorandum, which will run for five years, reflects a long-term commitment to digital innovation in environmental governance.