Blab AI
Uruguays Environment Ministry to Deploy AI, Push New Environmental-Crimes Law Ahead of Budget Review
Uruguay is turning to artificial intelligence to tighten environmental oversight while drafting a new crimes law before the government presents its budget to Parliament on June 30.
In a recent interview with Montevideo Portal, Environment Minister Edgardo Ortuño revealed that the ministry plans to digitalise six procedures, allowing them to be completed entirely online, and to embed AI tools to aid inspections, controls and procedure management. "We are planning, for this year, the digitalization of six procedures that will be able to be carried out 100% online and the incorporation of artificial intelligence at the service of controls and the management of procedures," he said.
The minister added that an agreement with the University of the Republic—encompassing the faculties of Engineering, Social Sciences, and Information and Communication—is ready to be signed, providing scientific and technical support for the initiative.
A new environmental‑crimes law is also a top priority. Ortuño explained that the recent fines decree has expanded administrative sanctions, but that these should be complemented by a dedicated chapter on environmental crimes in the Penal Code. "The fundamental objective is to introduce a new environmental‑crimes law," he stated.
When asked about the broader budget context, Ortuño noted that the government is prioritising security and social areas, including early childhood and support for homeless people. The environmental agenda therefore sits within a wider set of social priorities.
The minister highlighted the Casupá dam project in Florida as a major undertaking. The dam is an alternative to the cancelled Neptuno project and aims to secure drinking‑water supply for the capital region through 2050. The tender call is scheduled to begin in June, with construction expected to start in 2027. "The initiative seeks to secure the drinking‑water supply of the metropolitan area with a horizon to 2050, a need that was demonstrated by the 2023 water crisis," Ortuño said. Updated environmental‑impact studies are being conducted by ministry technical teams, Udelar specialists and a group of Argentine engineers.
Ortuño also defended safeguards applied to seismic prospecting for oil in Uruguayan waters, which began in early 2026 and has faced legal challenges from environmental organisations. "The marine‑fauna protection area has been doubled and the vessels operate with six observers and inspectors from the ministry on board," he said, citing Norway as an example of a country that reconciles oil extraction with environmental protection.
He expressed support for President Yamandú Orsi’s decision regarding a controversial purchase of a pickup truck, describing the president’s response as "in keeping with the honesty" he attributes to him.
The ministry’s plans to integrate AI, introduce a new environmental‑crimes law, advance the Casupá dam project and maintain safeguards for oil prospecting will be reviewed in the upcoming budget presentation. The outcomes of these initiatives will shape Uruguay’s environmental policy and regulatory framework in the coming years.
In a recent interview with Montevideo Portal, Environment Minister Edgardo Ortuño revealed that the ministry plans to digitalise six procedures, allowing them to be completed entirely online, and to embed AI tools to aid inspections, controls and procedure management. "We are planning, for this year, the digitalization of six procedures that will be able to be carried out 100% online and the incorporation of artificial intelligence at the service of controls and the management of procedures," he said.
The minister added that an agreement with the University of the Republic—encompassing the faculties of Engineering, Social Sciences, and Information and Communication—is ready to be signed, providing scientific and technical support for the initiative.
A new environmental‑crimes law is also a top priority. Ortuño explained that the recent fines decree has expanded administrative sanctions, but that these should be complemented by a dedicated chapter on environmental crimes in the Penal Code. "The fundamental objective is to introduce a new environmental‑crimes law," he stated.
When asked about the broader budget context, Ortuño noted that the government is prioritising security and social areas, including early childhood and support for homeless people. The environmental agenda therefore sits within a wider set of social priorities.
The minister highlighted the Casupá dam project in Florida as a major undertaking. The dam is an alternative to the cancelled Neptuno project and aims to secure drinking‑water supply for the capital region through 2050. The tender call is scheduled to begin in June, with construction expected to start in 2027. "The initiative seeks to secure the drinking‑water supply of the metropolitan area with a horizon to 2050, a need that was demonstrated by the 2023 water crisis," Ortuño said. Updated environmental‑impact studies are being conducted by ministry technical teams, Udelar specialists and a group of Argentine engineers.
Ortuño also defended safeguards applied to seismic prospecting for oil in Uruguayan waters, which began in early 2026 and has faced legal challenges from environmental organisations. "The marine‑fauna protection area has been doubled and the vessels operate with six observers and inspectors from the ministry on board," he said, citing Norway as an example of a country that reconciles oil extraction with environmental protection.
He expressed support for President Yamandú Orsi’s decision regarding a controversial purchase of a pickup truck, describing the president’s response as "in keeping with the honesty" he attributes to him.
The ministry’s plans to integrate AI, introduce a new environmental‑crimes law, advance the Casupá dam project and maintain safeguards for oil prospecting will be reviewed in the upcoming budget presentation. The outcomes of these initiatives will shape Uruguay’s environmental policy and regulatory framework in the coming years.
