Regional and Global Water Security and AI for Weather Modification Dominates Discussions on Day One of 7 th International Rain Enhancement Forum
Day one sessions celebrate UAEREP’s decade of global outreach on research and innovation
Abu Dhabi(News Desk)::– The first day of the 7th International Rain Enhancement Forum (IREF), which kicked off today in Abu Dhabi under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Presidential Court, and in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Development and Fallen Heroes Affairs, featured a dynamic agenda of insightful panel discussions and interactive presentations.
The day one sessions celebrated the UAEREP’s 10 th anniversary, highlighting its decade-long journey as a global center of excellence in scientific research and innovation. Experts also discussed the regional and global water security, as well as the latest scientific and technological advancements in weather modification, rain enhancement, and water security research worldwide.
Artificial Intelligence for weather modification was a key focus of the day’s discussions, which included a series of high-level panels featuring prominent experts and decision-makers from the UAE and abroad.
Organized by the National Center of Meteorology, through the UAE Research Program for Rain Enhancement Science (UAEREP), the Forum runs from 28 to 30 January 2025 at Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers. The 7 th edition is centered on five key strategic pillars including Collaboration, Innovation, Capacity Building, Artificial Intelligence and Applied Research.
Fireside Chat: A Decade of Innovation: UAEREP’s Global Leadership in Rain Enhancement
The day’s sessions commenced with a Fireside Chat titled “A Decade of Innovation: UAEREP’s Global Leadership in Rain Enhancement between HE Dr. Nawal Al Hosany, the Permanent Representative of the UAE to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and Dr. Steve Griffiths, Vice Chancellor at the American University of Sharjah to commemorate the 10 th anniversary of UAEREP. The two distinguished advisory board members shared insights on UAEREP’s transformative journey, highlighting how strategic investments have driven scientific advancements and innovation in rainfall enhancement. The discussion also explored the program’s role in supporting the UAE’s broader efforts in scientific research, climate action, and water security.
IREF’s first plenary session: Regional and Global Perspectives on Water Security The first high-level plenary session titled “Regional and Global Perspectives on Water Security” began with a keynote by Her Excellency Dr. Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, UAE. The panel session drew the participation of top experts including Mr. LoÏc Fauchon, President of the World Water Council, ISC Co-Chair, and Ayesha Al Ateeqi, Executive Director of the Mohamed bin Zayed Water Initiative.
Moderated by Tom Urquhart, News Presenter, Dubai Eye Radio, Arabian Radio Network, the session discussed the regional and global implications of climate change on water availability, distribution, and quality. This session focused on how rising temperatures, shifting weather patterns, and increased frequency of extreme events are impacting water resources.Participants also explored innovative strategies and collaborative efforts needed to ensure sustainable water management and resilience in the face of climate-driven uncertainties.
The session also examined key topics including climate change impacts on regional water resources, feedback and interactions across the Water-Energy-Food nexus, climate adaptation and resilience building, innovative water resource augmentation and management practices and future outlook and emerging challenges.
IREF’s second plenary session: Artificial Intelligence for Weather Modification: Future Pathways
The second high-level plenary session titled “Artificial Intelligence for Weather Modification:Future Pathways” featured top panelists including H.E. Mohammed Bin Taliah, Chief of For publishing at 4:00 PM on Tuesday 28 th January 2025 Government Services of the UAE Government at the Prime Minister’s Office, UAE, HE Hasan Al Hosani, Managing Director, Bayanat, G42, UAE, Dr. Christian Ponder, Senior Researcher, Microsoft Research, AI for Science, USA and Tom Urquhart, News Presenter, Dubai Eye Radio, Arabian Radio Network who moderated the session.
The high-level plenary session delved into the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in the realm of climate and weather forecasting and related climate intervention activities.
Experts discussed the multifaceted capabilities of AI applications, highlighting their role in bolstering climate adaptation strategies and weather modification efforts. The session also highlighted ways to foster collaboration among scientists, policymakers, and industry leaders to address the pressing issue of water security, ultimately contributing to global efforts in mitigating climate change impacts.
Key topics also included AI-driven weather forecasting and climate prediction, innovative AI applications in high-resolution/cloud-scale modelling, potential use-cases for weather modification impact assessments and ethical and regulatory considerations in AI-driven climate/weather applications.
Technical session One: Hybrid Ai-Physics-Based Models and Data Science for Climate And Weather Research
The third session titled “Hybrid Ai-Physics-Based Models and Data Science for Climate And Weather Research: Pathway To Weather Modification Applications” started with an opening address by Andrew Jackson, CEO of the Inception, a G42 company. The session panel brought together distinguished experts including Björn Stevens, Director Max Planck Institute, Marouane Temimi, Associate Professor, Stevens Institute of Technology, and Luca Delle Monache, UAEREP’s 4 th Cycle Awardee, Deputy Director of the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes (CW3E), and Daniel Rosenfeld, UAEREP 5 th Cycle awardee, Professor at Institute of Earth Sciences at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Moderated by Raha Hakimdavar Senior Advisor to the Deans of Georgetown University in Qatar the session explored the synergies between AI and physics-based models and data science for climate and weather research. Experts discussed how these hybrid approaches enhance forecasting accuracy and advance our understanding of atmospheric dynamics, while exploring the latest innovations and implications for climate intervention and weather modification techniques.
The session also featured several presentations by participating experts. The first presentation,delivered by Björn Stevens, was titled “EVE and the challenge of anticipating changing patterns of precipitation”, whereas the second presentation, by Marouane Temimi, focused on “Blending AI- and Physics-based Models with Advanced Sensing Techniques to Support Weather Research.
The third presentation, delivered by Luca Delle Monache, was titled " A Hybrid Machine Learning Framework for Enhanced Precipitation Nowcasting.” The 7 th IREF coincides with UAEREP’s 10 th anniversary, a milestone that underscores its decade-long commitment to advancing rain enhancement science and technology as a sustainable solution to water scarcity challenges, while contributing to water and food security both locally and globally. To date, UAEREP has allocated AED 82.6 million towards the
successful completion of 11 innovative research projects, resulting in 8 patents, with 3 more pending registration. Additionally, 3 new research projects are currently underway.
With a strong emphasis on artificial intelligence solutions for weather enhancement, the Forum seeks to serve as a global platform for scientific discussions, fostering collaboration and innovation in rain enhancement science.-Ends-
