Looks like rAIn…

The 7th International Rain Enhancement Forum (IREF), being held at Conrad Abu Dhabi, Etihad Towers seems to have gone down a storm with attending climate scientists and meteorological experts.

image gallery
nav left 1 of 12 nav right
image gallery
image gallery
image gallery
image gallery
image gallery

cloud-seeding

Now on its final day of the January 28 to 30 run, the series of talks and discussions have tackled such future-focused topics as the use of Artificial Intelligence; the deployment of drones; the potential efficacy of new cloud-seeding materials such as glaciogenic and hygroscopic agents; limited-area climate interventions; and hybrid AI-physics models.

 

Downloading from the Cloud

One of the most interesting, and likely impactful sessions from the IREF so far was the investigation into: “Artificial Intelligence for Weather Modification: Future Pathways”.

The talk included such esteemed panellists as Mohammed Bin Taliah, Chief of Government Services of the UAE Government at the Prime Minister’s Office, UAE; Hasan Al Hosani, Managing Director, Bayanat, G42, UAE; Dr. Christian Ponder, Senior Researcher, Microsoft Research, AI for Science, USA; and moderating host Tom Urquhart of Dubai Eye Radio.

During the discussion, weather experts explored AI’s potential to enhance both the forecasting of weather patterns and intervening in climatic conditions; as well as its role in predictive algorithm building and high-resolution cloud-scale modelling.

Later sessions on AI’s possible meteorological applications examined the use of machine learning for ‘nowcasting’, and how it might improve our understanding of atmospheric dynamics.

During the IREF, H.E. Dr. Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahhak, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, delivered a speech highlighting regional and global perspectives on water security. H.E. stated: “As one of the driest regions in the world, the UAE has long recognised the importance of water conservation. This priority has driven us to foster innovation and investment in water sustainability.”

Images: Getty/What’s On Archive