At this year's World Water Forum, WWF, hosted by the Republic of Korea, members of a UAE delegation will offer rain enhancement as a potential solution to global water scarcity. On April 14th, a special WWF panel entitled, "UAE - Innovating to Advance Water Security", will feature a presentation on the UAE Research Programme for Rain Enhancement Science that highlights the UAE's research and innovation leadership in this field. Launched by the Ministry of Presidential Affairs of the UAE at the beginning of the year, the programme is already attracting global interest.
The ambitious initiative, designed to help arid and semi-arid countries boost their water reserves by using technology to increase rainfall yields, is being managed by the UAE National Centre of Meteorology and Seismology (NCMS).
Alya Al Mazroui, the Director of the UAE Research Programme for Rain Enhancement Science, said, "Our delegation is looking forward to playing a strong and proactive role in this year's WWF. In view of our particular geographical and environmental situation, we believe we can add a distinctive viewpoint and an energetic approach to water security issues. For instance, although the immediate aim of our rain enhancement initiative is to increase the UAE's rainfall and enhance freshwater supply, we hope to generate results that could have wider applications for countries that might benefit from advances in rain augmentation technology."
H.H. Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Crown Prince's Court of Abu Dhabi, will lead the delegation of prominent UAE government and private sector representatives to the 7th WWF in Daegu and Gyeongbuk, South Korea, from April 12th-17th. Highlighting the UAE's role as a recognised, responsible leader in the water sector, the delegation will leverage its participation at the forum to showcase the country's adoption of innovative technologies for reducing water consumption, costs and waste to ensure a water-secure future in what is considered one of the most arid countries of the world.
Managed by the World Water Council, the World Water Forum is the globe's largest international conference on water. The forum, held triennially since its inception in 1997, converges industry experts spanning public, private sectors, academia and industries to facilitate international discussions on global water challenges.
Source: WAM