Rain Enhancement, AI, and Climate Resilience in Focus at 7th IREF

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The 7th International Rain Enhancement Forum (IREF) kicked off 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. The event, attended by His Highness Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Development and Fallen Heroes’ Affairs, featured expert discussions on water security, artificial intelligence, and weather modification.

The forum’s first day celebrated the 10th anniversary of the UAE Research Program for Rain Enhancement Science (UAEREP), highlighting its decade-long contributions to scientific research and innovation in climate resilience. Experts explored regional and global water security challenges, cutting-edge advancements in weather modification, and AI-driven solutions for climate adaptation. A Fireside Chat titled “A Decade of Innovation: UAEREP’s Global Leadership in Rain Enhancement” featured Dr. Nawal Al Hosany, UAE’s Permanent Representative to IRENA, and Dr. Steve Griffiths, Vice Chancellor at the American University of Sharjah, discussing UAEREP’s impact on scientific research and water security.

The high-level plenary session “Regional and Global Perspectives on Water Security” opened with a keynote by Dr. Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak, UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment, and featured top experts including Loïc Fauchon, President of the World Water Council, and Ayesha Al Ateeqi, Executive Director of the Mohamed bin Zayed Water Initiative. Moderated by Tom Urquhart of Dubai Eye Radio, the session addressed climate change’s effects on water availability, innovative water management strategies, and the Water-Energy-Food nexus.

Artificial intelligence took center stage in the session “Artificial Intelligence for Weather Modification: Future Pathways,” featuring Mohammed Bin Taliah, Chief of Government Services at the UAE Prime Minister’s Office, Hasan Al Hosani, Managing Director at Bayanat, G42, and Dr. Christian Ponder, Senior Researcher at Microsoft Research AI for Science. Experts discussed AI-driven weather forecasting, high-resolution modeling, and ethical considerations in AI-powered climate solutions.

The session “Hybrid AI-Physics-Based Models and Data Science for Climate and Weather Research” focused on integrating AI with physics-based models to enhance forecasting accuracy. Panelists included Björn Stevens, Director at the Max Planck Institute, Marouane Temimi from the Stevens Institute of Technology, and Luca Delle Monache, UAEREP’s 4th Cycle Awardee. Discussions explored AI-enhanced weather prediction, cloud-scale modeling, and AI’s role in advancing atmospheric research.

Organized by the UAE’s National Center of Meteorology, the 7th IREF runs from January 28-30, 2025, at Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers. This edition focuses on five strategic pillars: Collaboration, Innovation, Capacity Building, Artificial Intelligence, and Applied Research, reinforcing the UAE’s leadership in climate resilience, water security, and AI-driven weather modification.