UAEREP approves shortlist of research proposals in its sixth cycle
28 May 2025 15:32
ABU DHABI (WAM)The UAE Research Programme for Rain Enhancement Science (UAEREP), managed by the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM), has announced the selection of 16 innovative pre-proposals from the 140 submissions received as part of the programme's sixth cycle.The shortlist was finalised following a rigorous evaluation process conducted by the programme's International Technical Review Committee, comprising a diverse panel of experts and specialists who met virtually from May 20 to 21, 2025 to agree on the final selection.Submissions were scored based on their alignment with the programme's core research areas, scientific excellence, potential impact, the expertise of proposers, and the extent of multidisciplinary collaboration.The invited proposals cover all five research thrust areas of the programme, namely, Optimised Seeding Materials, Novel Cloud Formation and/or Rain Enhancement Systems, Autonomous Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), Limited-Area Climate Interventions, and Advanced Models, Software, and Data.Researchers whose pre-proposals have been shortlisted are being invited to submit full proposals by August 28, 2025. The winners of the research grants will be announced in January 2026 following a second stage of merit-based review.As part of its sixth cycle, UAEREP offers a grant of up $1.5 million (Dh5.511 million) for each winning project proposal. The grant will be distributed among up to three innovative research projects over three years, with a maximum annual amount of $550,000.Dr. Abdulla Al Mandous, President of the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) and the Director-General of the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM), said, "Through the National Centre of Meteorology, the UAE continues to lead global efforts in advancing rain enhancement research, in line with our leadership's vision to address water scarcity and promote climate resilience. "The shortlisting of pre-proposals for the UAEREP's sixth cycle reflects this ongoing commitment by supporting high-potential projects that demonstrate scientific excellence and innovation across the program's core research areas. By advancing pioneering research and fostering international collaboration, NCM is helping develop impactful solutions that reinforce the UAE's position as a global hub for rain enhancement science."Alya Al Mazrouei, Director of UAEREP, said, "The shortlisting of pre-proposals in this sixth cycle reflects UAEREP's strategic focus on identifying high-quality scientific research that aligns with the program's evolving research priorities. I extend my sincere appreciation to each member of our esteemed technical review committee for their dedication and expertise in ensuring a comprehensive and transparent evaluation of the pre-proposals. "Over the past month, the Committee's discussions emphasised the importance of scientific merit, technical feasibility, and operational scalability in identifying solutions that support international efforts to ensure water security. As we move into the next stage, I look forward to seeing these proposals evolve into impactful projects with real-world applications, further reinforcing the UAE's leadership in addressing water security challenges through scientific research."Earlier, NCM announced that the UAEREP's sixth cycle attracted 140 pre-proposals, marking a 47% increase compared to the Fifth Cycle. These submissions were received from 96 research teams and 44 individual researchers representing 48 countries across five continents.Researchers were invited to submit innovative research proposals aligned with the program's five priority research areas, underpinning the program's 10-year roadmap, namely, Optimised Seeding Materials, Novel Cloud Formation and/or Rain Enhancement Systems, Autonomous UAS, Limited-Area Climate Interventions, and Advanced Models, Software, and Data.Applicants who were not shortlisted will be provided with the panel's feedback and review scores as an incentive to submit for future cycles.This sixth cycle drew proposals from several leading industry, academic and research institutions within the UAE and internationally, including the University of California (Irvine and Los Angeles), Columbia University, Princeton University, Victoria University, ETH Zurich, Stockholm University, Kyoto University, Tsinghua University, Politecnico di Milano, Khalifa University, Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI), the American University of Sharjah, and GAL (Global Aerospace Logistics).Proposals were also submitted by prominent government entities, such as the National Centre for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), the Chinese Meteorological Administration's Weather Modification Centre, the South Korean National Institute of Meteorological Sciences, Brookhaven National Laboratory, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).UAEREP's sixth cycle was officially launched at the 7th International Rain Enhancement Forum (IREF), held from January 28-30, 2025. This cycle builds upon the programme's renewed vision that aims to establish UAEREP as the global hub for research, development, demonstration, and deployment of rain enhancement technologies and operations that contribute to global water security.
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Al Etihad
2 days ago
- Al Etihad
UAEREP approves shortlist of research proposals in its sixth cycle
28 May 2025 15:32 ABU DHABI (WAM)The UAE Research Programme for Rain Enhancement Science (UAEREP), managed by the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM), has announced the selection of 16 innovative pre-proposals from the 140 submissions received as part of the programme's sixth shortlist was finalised following a rigorous evaluation process conducted by the programme's International Technical Review Committee, comprising a diverse panel of experts and specialists who met virtually from May 20 to 21, 2025 to agree on the final were scored based on their alignment with the programme's core research areas, scientific excellence, potential impact, the expertise of proposers, and the extent of multidisciplinary invited proposals cover all five research thrust areas of the programme, namely, Optimised Seeding Materials, Novel Cloud Formation and/or Rain Enhancement Systems, Autonomous Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), Limited-Area Climate Interventions, and Advanced Models, Software, and whose pre-proposals have been shortlisted are being invited to submit full proposals by August 28, 2025. The winners of the research grants will be announced in January 2026 following a second stage of merit-based part of its sixth cycle, UAEREP offers a grant of up $1.5 million (Dh5.511 million) for each winning project proposal. The grant will be distributed among up to three innovative research projects over three years, with a maximum annual amount of $550, Abdulla Al Mandous, President of the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) and the Director-General of the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM), said, "Through the National Centre of Meteorology, the UAE continues to lead global efforts in advancing rain enhancement research, in line with our leadership's vision to address water scarcity and promote climate resilience. "The shortlisting of pre-proposals for the UAEREP's sixth cycle reflects this ongoing commitment by supporting high-potential projects that demonstrate scientific excellence and innovation across the program's core research areas. By advancing pioneering research and fostering international collaboration, NCM is helping develop impactful solutions that reinforce the UAE's position as a global hub for rain enhancement science."Alya Al Mazrouei, Director of UAEREP, said, "The shortlisting of pre-proposals in this sixth cycle reflects UAEREP's strategic focus on identifying high-quality scientific research that aligns with the program's evolving research priorities. I extend my sincere appreciation to each member of our esteemed technical review committee for their dedication and expertise in ensuring a comprehensive and transparent evaluation of the pre-proposals. "Over the past month, the Committee's discussions emphasised the importance of scientific merit, technical feasibility, and operational scalability in identifying solutions that support international efforts to ensure water security. As we move into the next stage, I look forward to seeing these proposals evolve into impactful projects with real-world applications, further reinforcing the UAE's leadership in addressing water security challenges through scientific research."Earlier, NCM announced that the UAEREP's sixth cycle attracted 140 pre-proposals, marking a 47% increase compared to the Fifth Cycle. These submissions were received from 96 research teams and 44 individual researchers representing 48 countries across five were invited to submit innovative research proposals aligned with the program's five priority research areas, underpinning the program's 10-year roadmap, namely, Optimised Seeding Materials, Novel Cloud Formation and/or Rain Enhancement Systems, Autonomous UAS, Limited-Area Climate Interventions, and Advanced Models, Software, and who were not shortlisted will be provided with the panel's feedback and review scores as an incentive to submit for future sixth cycle drew proposals from several leading industry, academic and research institutions within the UAE and internationally, including the University of California (Irvine and Los Angeles), Columbia University, Princeton University, Victoria University, ETH Zurich, Stockholm University, Kyoto University, Tsinghua University, Politecnico di Milano, Khalifa University, Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI), the American University of Sharjah, and GAL (Global Aerospace Logistics).Proposals were also submitted by prominent government entities, such as the National Centre for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), the Chinese Meteorological Administration's Weather Modification Centre, the South Korean National Institute of Meteorological Sciences, Brookhaven National Laboratory, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).UAEREP's sixth cycle was officially launched at the 7th International Rain Enhancement Forum (IREF), held from January 28-30, 2025. This cycle builds upon the programme's renewed vision that aims to establish UAEREP as the global hub for research, development, demonstration, and deployment of rain enhancement technologies and operations that contribute to global water security.
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What is causing the record high temperatures in the UAE?
The UAE is experiencing record breaking heat this month, with residents facing temperatures in excess of 50°C, according to the National Centre of Meteorology. Sweltering heat recorded in Sweihan recently at 51.6°C has smashed the record for the highest temperature in the month of May in the UAE, which was reported the previous day when it reached 50.4°C in Abu Dhabi emirate. Before then, the peak for the month was 50.2°C in 2009. The National Centre of Meteorology has in recent days reminded the public to drink lots of fluids, avoid direct exposure to the sun, ensure children are not left in cars and also to make sure pets have plenty to drink. Here, we look at the record temperatures and consider what factors could be behind them. What temperature records have been broken? Saturday was the second record-breaking day in a row, with the UAE having past its all-time record for May on Friday, when a temperature of 50.4°C was reached in Abu Dhabi. The extreme temperatures are more akin to what might be expected at the height of summer, which does not officially begin until June 21. Saturday's record was barely shy of the highest reported temperature for any time of year since records began more than two decades ago. That peak was set in Al Yasat Island in Abu Dhabi emirate in 2010, when thermometers reached a sizzling 52°C. This month's record temperatures come hot on the heels of the UAE recording its warmest April, with the average high last month being 42.6°C. 'The new thing about these conditions is that they are happening really too early, before even the official start of the summer season. The second element is how extreme they are compared to the record,' said Dr Diana Francis, an assistant professor and head of the Environmental and Geophysical Sciences (Engeos) lab at Khalifa University. How is climate change affecting the region? Climate change may be playing a role in both the UAE's record temperatures as well as the region's escalating weather, especially given that previous research has indicated the gulf is heating up especially quickly. Campaign group Greenpeace MENA is drawing awareness to the issue, after temperatures in Kuwait remained close to 50°C throughout the week, Morocco issued an official heatwave alert for several provinces, and Iraq and Egypt grappled with an intense increase in temperature. "These conditions are no longer rare; they are the new normal in a region heating at nearly twice the global average. These extreme temperatures have arrived earlier than ever, as Hajj season is about to start," said regional campaigns lead, Kenzie Azmi. "Even though our region is not historically responsible for the problem, we are among those suffering the most." In 2022, Greenpeace published a report, Living on the Edge: The Implications of Climate Change for Six Countries in the Middle East and North Africa Region, which stated temperatures were 'warming nearly twice as fast as the global average'. At the time the report was released, Kathryn Miller, a science consultant for Greenpeace Research Laboratories, said that, while there was 'considerable variability in weather patterns year on year', a trend had become evident in the Mena region. 'It's now clear that the region as a whole is warming fast, with an accelerated rate of 0.4°C per decade since the 1980s,' she said. Climate analysts in the UAE have said this year that summer in the country now lasts about 10 days longer than it used to. It is forecast in future to last for about half the year. 'What we are seeing is in line with our findings showing longer summers to be expected under global warming,' Dr Francis said. 'This shift in season duration can be exacerbated by a short heatwave induced by changes to the general circulation due to global warming. 'We have to wait and see if what we are witnessing currently in the UAE is a heatwave on top of the increase in global average temperatures due to excessive greenhouse gases.' Are other factors having an effect? A climatic effect called the Arabian Heat Low, typically experienced in summer, is partly responsible for the ultra-high temperatures in Sweihan, Dr Francis said. She said the ending in 2024 of El Nino, a warm period caused by changes to water circulation in the Pacific Ocean, had brought 'the level of rain in the UAE to almost zero in 2025'. 'With dry soil during the whole spring, like in the case of Sweihan, the development of the summer weather feature responsible for heat, called the Arabian Heat Low, came early this year,' she said. 'It is now well developed and in intensity resembles an AHL of a July month, not May, hence the temperatures are resembling July, too.' Feeling the heat in Sweihan Sweihan is no stranger to extreme heat, with the town having recorded a sweltering temperature of 51.8°C in June 2021. In response to the conditions, one long-time resident, Syrian citizen Tareef Otham, told The National at the time that being outside 'felt like I was inside an oven'. Being inland is one reason why Sweihan is especially likely to face extremes of temperature. Land heats up faster than the sea, so being further from the coast means that the Arabian Gulf has less of a moderating influence on the temperature. Coastal cities tend to be marginally cooler than those inland, although they can be more uncomfortable because of higher levels of humidity. By contrast, during the winter, inland areas are often cooler than coastal regions, because the sea is typically warmer than the land during colder times of the year, as it has not cooled down so fast. Are recent temperatures close to world records? While Sweihan has been facing temperatures that are very hot even for the Gulf region, the peaks remain significantly short of world beating. The highest temperature recorded on Earth was 56.7°C in Death Valley in the US on July 10, 1913, according to Guinness World Records. It states that some climatologists 'have cast doubt' on this result, although it remains the official record. In recent years, temperatures of 54.4°C have been recorded twice at the Furnace Creek Visitor Centre in Death Valley. A temperature of 58°C was recorded in Al Azizia in Libya in 1922, although that result was discredited by the World Meteorological Organisation in 2012. It said the figure may have been inflated because, for example, it was recorded near an asphalt-like surface that heats up faster than the desert soil.
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Dhul-Hijjah moon sighting committee to convene tomorrow at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi
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