EBRD to finance second phase of geodata digitization project in Ukraine – Environment Minister
The State Informationфд Geological Fund of Ukraine (GeoInform of Ukraine) has signed a contract with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to continue cooperation in digitizing geological information, reported Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine Svitlana Hrynchuk.
"Just last week, we had a productive dialogue with the Vice President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Mark Bowman. Following this meeting, GeoInform of Ukraine signed an important contract with the EBRD to continue cooperation in digitizing geological information. The contract provides for financing of works for EUR 1.8 million," she wrote on Facebook on Tuesday.
According to Hrynchuk, this effectively begins the second phase of the project, which has been implemented in Ukraine since 2021 within the memorandum of understanding between the EU and Ukraine on a strategic partnership in the field of raw materials. As part of this phase, it is planned to digitize 60,000 books of geological information, including those on strategic and critical raw materials.
"Forming and providing the industry with high-quality geological information is among our priorities. After all, such work will allow attracting investments in the sector and ensuring its sustainable development. Currently, the geological archive of the State Enterprise GeoInform of Ukraine stores large volumes of valuable geological documents, maps and data in paper format. For effective use, they need to be digitized, organized, georeferenced, provided with metadata and made available to investors," she noted.
As part of the first phase, which lasted six months from July 2023, the State Geological Web Portal was improved, the necessary technical equipment, software were purchased and the first 6,000 books of geological reports were digitized, which are placed on an interactive map with English-language metadata for 125 subsoil areas.
