RINA takes part in IAIA 2025

01 - 04 May 2025

We are excited to announce RINA’s participation in the 44th Annual Conference of the International Association for Impact Assessment (IAIA), themed "Impact Assessment in the Age of Artificial Intelligence." The conference will bring together global experts and professionals to explore the evolving role of artificial intelligence in impact assessment and its influence across various sectors.

RINA is proud to contribute to this critical discussion, with a focus on how AI is reshaping impact assessment processes, methodologies, and tools. The conference will focus on four key thematic streams:

1. Impact of AI on Impact Assessment
2. Data-driven Innovation of Processes/Approaches/Methodologies/Tools
3. Evidence-based Policymaking
4. Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Considerations

At RINA, we are excited to contribute to these discussions and share our insights. Our team will feature four expert speakers who will provide cutting-edge perspectives on the integration of AI, driving forward the next wave of innovation and sustainability:

- Beatrice Fagan will present a session on how AI-generative tools can break down barriers and enhance stakeholder engagement. Specifically, the research will explore how the inclusion of vernacular languages in AI language tools can improve engagement practices during the scoping process in impact assessments.
- Simone Gurrieri will showcase an AI-based tool designed to optimise the gap analysis process in Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIA) and Environmental and Social Due Diligence (ESDD). During the conference, we will demonstrate how Generative AI (GenAI) can be used to automate and streamline this process, making it more efficient in identifying regulatory discrepancies and assisting with the analysis through a comparative table.
- Michele Valery will examinate how evolving climate conditions have disrupted traditional livelihoods and exacerbated vulnerabilities for local indigenous communities. Initial mitigation strategies have had to adapt to new challenges like intensified flooding, prolonged droughts, and shifting precipitation patterns, highlighting the need for integrating climate variability into Environmental and Social (E&S) risk assessments.
- Arianna Oggioni will present a paper dedicated to “Biodiversity Impact Assessment in Modified Habitats: Lessons from Artificial Wetlands.” Projects affecting these habitats may overlook Critical Habitats if assessments rely only on desktop analysis. Effective mitigation requires considering human use and building strong stakeholder relationships. At RINA's Biodiversity and Ecosystems Discipline, we help clients understand, reduce, and manage biodiversity-related risks and ecosystem service dependencies.