Gajović: Smart water resource management is cheaper and safer for nature

Smart water resource management, which is adaptive and data-based, is cheaper and safer for nature, but also more flexible than traditional dam systems, said Aleksandra Gajović, assistant professor at the Faculty of Information Technologies in Belgrade, Alfa BK University.

Gajović, who is a specialist for Chapter 27 (EIPA and SEPA) - Environment and Climate Change, as well as for the application of environmental, social and governance (ESG, CBAM, ETS) standards, gave a presentation on the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in environmental protection and water resources management, during the panel "AI for Environmental Quality: Smart Tools for Biodiversity and Sustainable Land Use" within the framework of the European Union Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region (EUSAIR) Forum.

"AI is increasingly being used around the world as an alternative to traditional, large infrastructure systems such as dams. Old systems are often based on outdated data, are expensive to maintain and can have a negative impact on nature and biodiversity," said Gajović.

She pointed out that moving from traditional infrastructure to adaptive, data-driven water resources management enables a more efficient, cost-effective and environmentally friendly system.

"When we compare AI and large dams, we see clear differences. In large systems, water losses can occur suddenly and in large quantities, therefore there is a high risk of complete disappearance of surrounding cities, while AI precisely predicts how much water people will consume, and also enables timely response," said Gajović.

She added that AI also monitors the state of groundwater and helps preserve its quality, while at the same time being able to detect potential problems in advance and prevent major damage before they occur.

Speaking about the construction of the Svračkovo dam on the Rzav River, in Arilje, Western Serbia, Gajović said that the project is outdated and has already caused serious devastation to nature, including a negative impact on flora and fauna. In the event of the Svračkovo dam breaking, considering that it is being built close to a settlement, on land that is already showing signs of erosion and rock cracking, the residents of Arilje would not have time to evacuate.

She stated that pipelines for the dam on one of the cleanest rivers in Serbia have already been installed in some parts of the basin, and that roads have been built and forests cleared for the project.

Speaking about the use of AI for nature conservation, Gajović pointed to various tools already being used to preserve biodiversity and monitor ecosystems. These include systems such as Google + WWF for tracking wildlife, Rainforest Connection, which detects illegal logging, Microsoft AI for Earth, which helps protect the oceans, and the iNaturalist platform, which enables the identification and monitoring of plant and animal species.

Speaking about the risks of using AI, she stated that these were bias, high energy consumption, and the "black box" problem.

When it comes to responsible artificial intelligence, Gajović reminded that the European Union has adopted the Artificial Intelligence Act, which regulates the safe and controlled use of AI.

She explained that responsible AI includes explainable AI, which allows AI systems to make decisions that are explained, as well as transparency, which ensures clarity about how they work and the data they use. There is also human control, where a human makes the final decision, and Green AI, which promotes energy-efficient and environmentally sustainable AI systems.

Speaking about how demanding it is to fulfill the obligations under Chapter 27 – Environment and Climate Change, Gajović told the MINA Agency after the panel that it is one of the most complex chapters in the European integration process and that it requires the transposition of a large amount of EU regulations. Fulfilling the benchmarks under that chapter, she added, is demanding from both a financial and institutional perspective.

She said that her experience shows that an individual cannot change something on their own. "I have seen that we transpose a lot of EU directives because we have to, but that somehow we do not have the basis to do so in all cases, with a lack of human resources and the current situation in the country. We need to deal with this more thoroughly and involve experts a little more," said Gajović.

She also emphasized that infrastructure, capacities and human resources must be significantly improved in order for the standards to be fully implemented.

As Gajović stated, although there is a clear will to harmonize with EU standards, in Serbia and the Western Balkans region it is necessary to adjust the pace and approach to the real capacities of each country, with stronger expert support and improvements.

Asked about the application of ESG standards, she assessed that companies in Serbia want to follow trends and apply such standards.

Some companies, as Gajović said, are encouraged to do so by international cooperation or obligations arising from credit lines, while some companies view it as an expense.

"It is important that ESG does not remain just at the level of theory, so as not to lead to greenwashing, but that it is applied substantively and responsibly. When looking at the ESG principles themselves, it is evident that many companies are already partially applying them, although they are not always aware of it," added Gajović.

When asked about the importance of raising environmental awareness among citizens, she said that she had given lectures in several schools in Belgrade, where she enthusiastically explained to children how to separate waste and what can be disposed of in recycling islands.

"However, I realized that, despite great desire and education, in practice there are not always adequate conditions and that the infrastructure itself is not always supportive," said Gajović.

She said that she therefore believes that education alone is not enough and that it is necessary for both local utility companies and the system as a whole to be involved and functional.

Gajović said that it is not enough to work only on raising the awareness of individuals, but it is necessary to develop the infrastructure and system in parallel.

"I believe that through education, association, proper transposition and implementation of directives, as well as adaptation at the local level, we can together raise awareness, but also preserve our environment as much as possible," concluded Gajović.