ABU DHABI: The UAE Research Program for Rain Enhancement Science (UAEREP) is set to participate in the ASEAN Regional Seminar on Weather Modification 2024, taking place starting from today, Friday, 18th October until Tuesday, 22nd October 2024 in Bangkok and Chon Buri Province, Thailand.
Organised by the ASEAN Weather Modification Centre (AWMC) under the leadership of Thailand’s Department of Royal Rainmaking and Agricultural Aviation (DRRAA), the event will cover a broad range of topics including current status of weather modification activities, best practices in weather modification and strategies for regional collaboration, among others.
The seminar, which brings together weather modification experts from ASEAN member states and international partners including the UAEREP, will focus on sharing knowledge and experiences in tropical cloud seeding, building capacity in weather modification technologies, and fostering regional collaboration on sustainable water resource management.
The UAEREP’s participat
ion underscores the importance of such platforms in promoting collaborative research efforts to address regional and global water security challenges.
The UAEREP delegation will showcase the UAE’s pioneering role in advancing global weather modification efforts and highlight the programme’s contributions to rain enhancement research.
Dr. Abdulla Al Mandous, Director-General of the National Center of Meteorology (NCM) and President of World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), said, ‘The UAE remains committed to working with global partners to develop cutting-edge technologies and solutions that contribute to long-term water security and climate resilience for future generations. By advancing the science of weather modification, our goal is to support innovative solutions that enhance rainfall and ensure sustainable water resources for the benefit communities at risk. We firmly believe that international collaboration and knowledge exchange are key to overcoming global climate challenges.’
Al Mandous added, ‘
At NCM, we continue to strengthen our local capabilities in meteorology and rain enhancement to ensure a more sustainable future for generations to come. Furthermore, we prioritise adopting advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence and numerical models to ensure accurate and efficient outcomes in water resource management. Our dedication to achieving the sustainable development goals remains central to our efforts to maintain environmental balance that will benefit humanity for decades ahead.’
During the seminar, the UAE delegation will actively participate in several key sessions, including a case study presentation that will focus on recent developments in weather modification and country-specific reports on rain enhancement activities.
Additionally, the delegation will take part in a technical session, where it will showcase the UAE’s research-to-operations ecosystem in cloud seeding and the broader range of rain enhancement research applications.
Alya Al Mazroui, Director of the UAEREP, sai
d, ‘The ASEAN Regional Seminar on Weather Modification presents a significant platform to share our expertise and collaborate with regional stakeholders to advance rain enhancement science. This engagement is a crucial opportunity to invite ASEAN participants to the 7th International Rain Enhancement Forum (IREF), which will take place from 28-30 January 2025, in Abu Dhabi. We will also encourage scientists and researchers from the ASEAN region to present innovative ideas and project proposals to UAEREP’ sixty cycle, promoting collaboration that will lead to groundbreaking rain enhancement solutions.’
In addition to these sessions, the UAEREP will engage in a range of activities to promote collaboration and knowledge-sharing with regional and global stakeholders. The UAEREP will also take this opportunity to showcase preparations for the programme’s upcoming 6th Cycle grant, offering ASEAN researchers a unique chance to engage in cutting-edge rain enhancement research.
The Sixth Award Cycle focuses on five
key research thrust areas, including Optimized Seeding Materials, Novel Cloud Formation Systems, Autonomous Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), Limited-Area Climate Interventions, and Advanced Models and Data.
Source: Emirates News Agency