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Leading global scientists and experts in rain enhancement and atmospheric research convened in the UAE capital to address the pressing water and sustainability issues and discuss the latest developments in rain enhancement research.
The gathering was part of the 4th International Rain Enhancement Forum, IREF, organised by the UAE Research Programme for Rain Enhancement Science, UAEREP, under the supervision of the National Centre of Meteorology, NCM.
IREF’s busy schedule included a Town Hall Meeting centred on the theme, 'Determining Future Directions for Rain Enhancement Research', the outcomes of which provided important input for discussions towards shaping the new UAEREP solicitation and research proposal calls.
In addition to reviewing the programme’s achievements and highlighting the latest developments in rain enhancement research globally, the participants discussed a variety of topics including the current and future research priorities in rain enhancement. They also examined ways to coordinate their efforts to ensure the alignment of research interests with emerging water security issues.
Commenting on the session, Dr. Abdulla Al Mandous, Director of NCM and President of the Regional Association II (Asia) of WMO, said, "The town hall meeting provided us with an ideal opportunity to review the progress made in rain enhancement research and discuss further measures in our continuous quest for reliable water resources. With new technologies advancing our capabilities to increase precipitation through cloud seeding, the session served as an unprecedented opportunity to reimagine the future of this fast-growing research area, while identifying knowledge gaps and opportunities. This will enable UAEREP to continue to make immense contributions to the development of rain enhancement research."
For her part, Alya Al Mazroui, UAREP Director, said, "UAEREP hosted this town hall meeting as part of its efforts to encourage constructive dialogue on issues related to water security and sustainability. In working closely with the scientific community and leveraging our complementary strengths, the program seeks to enhance the existing knowledge base and increase our focus on building new capabilities to strengthen our water ecosystems. This will allow us to direct scientific research towards optimising and accelerating the development of solutions to address the most pressing water resource management challenges in the 21st Century."
Providing an open forum for discussion by all workshop attendees, the session drew the participation of leading experts including Dr. Roelof Burger, a senior lecturer at North-West University, Dr. Deon Terblanche, Weather and Climate Consultant at World Bank and former Director of Research at the World Meteorological Organisation, WMO, Dr. Duncan Axisa, Director of Science Programmes at Droplet Measurement Technologies, Prof. Olivier Pauluis, Professor of Mathematics at New York University, and Dr. Roelof Bruintjes, a senior scientist at National Centre for Atmospheric Research, NCAR.
After the group discussions, the results were presented by group members and summarised in written reports. The written reports include specific recommendations on future directions for UAEREP.
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