UAEREP's Sixth Cycle Receives 140 Innovative Research Proposals For Rain Enhancement Solutions

The National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) has wrapped up the submission phase for the Sixth Cycle of the UAE Research Programme for Rain Enhancement Science (UAEREP). This cycle saw a significant rise in interest, with 140 research proposals submitted, marking a 47% increase from the previous cycle. The submission window opened on 28th January 2025 and closed on 20th March 2025.

The Sixth Cycle attracted participation from 96 research teams and 44 individual researchers across five continents. Notable contributions came from the UAE with 29 submissions, followed by the United States with 23, and India with 22. Other countries like Nigeria, South Africa, Pakistan, Australia, Egypt, Russia, Kenya, Rwanda, China, and Jordan also participated.

The proposals addressed five core research areas: optimised seeding materials (49 proposals), novel cloud formation systems (71), autonomous unmanned aircraft systems (42), limited-area climate interventions (63), and advanced models and data (75). These areas are crucial for advancing rain enhancement science.

UAEREP will assess these pre-proposals based on several criteria including alignment with core research areas, scientific merit, potential impact, proposer expertise, and multidisciplinary collaboration. Successful candidates will be invited to submit full proposals by 20th May 2025. Final submissions are due by 28th August 2025.

Dr. Abdulla Al Mandous highlighted the importance of this initiative: "With global water security at the forefront of international climate action and sustainability agendas, the strong response to the programme’s Sixth Cycle underscores the growing recognition of the UAE’s commitment to exploring innovative approaches for addressing water scarcity in arid and semi-arid regions."

Leading Institutions Contributing to UAEREP

Several prestigious universities and research centres have submitted proposals. These include Khalifa University, Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI), American University of Sharjah, Emirates Aviation University, Abu Dhabi University, UAE University, GAL (Global Aerospace Logistics), University of California (Irvine and Los Angeles), Columbia University, Princeton University among others.

Alya Al Mazrouei stated that UAEREP aims to support projects that align with its vision: "Moving forward, we will identify projects that align with UAEREP’s vision and roadmap – projects that introduce ground-breaking ideas... Our aim is to support research that accelerates technology readiness..."

Government Entities' Involvement

Renowned government entities also contributed proposals. These include the National Centre of Atmospheric Research Centre (NCAR), Weather Modification Centre China Meteorological Administration, National Institute of Meteorological Sciences – South Korea among others.

As part of its Sixth Cycle, UAEREP offers grants up to US$1.5 million per winning project proposal. This funding will be distributed among up to three innovative projects over three years with a maximum annual amount of US$550,000.

The Sixth Cycle was officially launched during the 7th International Rain Enhancement Forum held from 28th to 30th January 2025. It builds upon UAEREP's vision to establish itself as a global hub for rain enhancement technologies contributing to water security worldwide.

With inputs from WAM