Under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister, the 6th edition of International Rain Enhancement Forum (IREF), the first-of-its-kind event to tackle water and sustainability issues worldwide, kicked-off in Abu Dhabi on January 24.

Organized by the National Center of Meteorology (NCM), through the UAE Research Program for Rain Enhancement Science (UAEREP), the event (from 24 to 26 January), is structured around Collaborations, Innovation, Capacity Building, Artificial Intelligence and Applied Research.

His Highness' speech was delivered by H.E. Dr Abdulla Al Mandous, Director General of National Center of Meteorology (NCM).

NCM to Highlight UAE’s Efforts in Rain Enhancement Research at WETEX

H.H. stated: “The UAE continues to deliver on its commitment to adopting innovation as a core component of in its government, scientific and economic agenda in support of global environmental goals, particularly those related to climate change and water security.

"As our country prepares to host key decision and policy makers at COP28, we have recently launched several ambitious initiatives, programs and strategies that will reinforce the UAE’s status as one of the most active and committed countries to the principles of environmental sustainability.

“The relentless efforts of the scientific community to bolster water security and enhance the sustainability of water resources deserve everyone’s appreciation, in view of the growing challenges facing our environment, climate and scarce water resources.

"Through this unique global forum dedicated to rain enhancement sciences, we reiterate our full support for the efforts of the scientific community to advance this promising field and provide a sustainable alternative to replenish the groundwater reserves in arid regions.

“The UAE Research Program for Rain Enhancement Science is a noteworthy example of the UAE’s aspirations to become a global hub for advancing the global water security agenda, as evidenced by the achievements made by the program’s awardee projects over its past four cycles."

The event has drawn the participation of 46 speakers and panelists from 18 countries across the world, including Prof Petteri Taalas, Secretary-General, World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and H.E. Mariam Almheiri, UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment.

H.E. Dr Abdulla Al Mandous said: “The sixth edition of the International Rain Enhancement Forum serves as an important platform offered by the UAE to the world to achieve the security and sustainability of water supplies and to tackle the challenges of climate change.

"As the preparation for COP28 are in full swing, we are keen to be part of this momentum by exploring innovative solutions for rain enhancement and by finding ways to accelerate the transition from research to real applications. The ‘Emirates Weather Enhancement Factory’ is a perfect example of such applications.”

Submissions Open for Program’s 5th Cycle

Alya Al Mazroui, Director, UAE Research Program for Rain Enhancement Science, announced the call for submissions for the Program’s 5th Cycle, which offers a grant of up to US$1.5 Million (AED5.511 million), distributed over three years, for each winning research proposal.

In its Fifth Cycle, the program welcomes innovative research proposals with a focus on two high-priority areas: enhancing cloud formation and rain enhancement.

Al Mazroui said: “With NCM playing a key role in linking the program’s research outputs with its rain enhancement operations, we have delivered consistently improved results that can be applied locally, regionally and globally.”

Registration of proposals for the Program’s Fifth Cycle is open till March 9, 2023, and pre-proposals should be submitted by March 16, 2023. Those invited to submit full proposals will be notified on May 26, 2023, and will be asked to send their full proposals by August 24, 2023.

The winning projects will be selected by a rigorous, two-stage merit review process and the awardees will be announced in January 2024. The awardees will receive a grant of up to US$1.5 million, distributed over three years.

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