{"id":104025,"date":"2026-01-23T05:47:13","date_gmt":"2026-01-23T05:47:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/uae-launches-1-5-million-grant-to-advance-cloud-seeding-research\/"},"modified":"2026-01-23T05:47:13","modified_gmt":"2026-01-23T05:47:13","slug":"uae-launches-1-5-million-grant-to-advance-cloud-seeding-research","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/uae-launches-1-5-million-grant-to-advance-cloud-seeding-research\/","title":{"rendered":"UAE launches $1.5 million grant to advance cloud-seeding research"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-id=\"221fafe\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n<p><h4 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">The programme, led by National Centre of Meteorology, selected three international researchers from 140 proposals submitted by scientists from 48 countries.<\/h4>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-366e865 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"366e865\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-615931e elementor-widget elementor-widget-post-info\" data-id=\"615931e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"post-info.default\">\n<ul class=\"elementor-inline-items elementor-icon-list-items elementor-post-info\">\n<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item elementor-repeater-item-b98e965 elementor-inline-item\" itemprop=\"about\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-edit\" viewbox=\"0 0 576 512\"><path d=\"M402.6 83.2l90.2 90.2c3.8 3.8 3.8 10 0 13.8L274.4 405.6l-92.8 10.3c-12.4 1.4-22.9-9.1-21.5-21.5l10.3-92.8L388.8 83.2c3.8-3.8 10-3.8 13.8 0zm162-22.9l-48.8-48.8c-15.2-15.2-39.9-15.2-55.2 0l-35.4 35.4c-3.8 3.8-3.8 10 0 13.8l90.2 90.2c3.8 3.8 10 3.8 13.8 0l35.4-35.4c15.2-15.3 15.2-40 0-55.2zM384 346.2V448H64V128h229.8c3.2 0 6.2-1.3 8.5-3.5l40-40c7.6-7.6 2.2-20.5-8.5-20.5H48C21.5 64 0 85.5 0 112v352c0 26.5 21.5 48 48 48h352c26.5 0 48-21.5 48-48V306.2c0-10.7-12.9-16-20.5-8.5l-40 40c-2.2 2.3-3.5 5.3-3.5 8.5z\"\/><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text elementor-post-info__item elementor-post-info__item--type-terms\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-post-info__terms-list\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-post-info__terms-list-item\">Web Desk<\/span>\t\t\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item elementor-repeater-item-8f25763 elementor-inline-item\" itemprop=\"datePublished\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-calendar\" viewbox=\"0 0 448 512\"><path d=\"M12 192h424c6.6 0 12 5.4 12 12v260c0 26.5-21.5 48-48 48H48c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48V204c0-6.6 5.4-12 12-12zm436-44v-36c0-26.5-21.5-48-48-48h-48V12c0-6.6-5.4-12-12-12h-40c-6.6 0-12 5.4-12 12v52H160V12c0-6.6-5.4-12-12-12h-40c-6.6 0-12 5.4-12 12v52H48C21.5 64 0 85.5 0 112v36c0 6.6 5.4 12 12 12h424c6.6 0 12-5.4 12-12z\"\/><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text elementor-post-info__item elementor-post-info__item--type-date\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<time>January 23, 2026<\/time>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div data-id=\"474ce0e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"theme-post-content.default\">\n<p><strong>ABU DHABI: The United Arab Emirates has launched a major new initiative to boost rainfall using cutting-edge cloud-seeding technologies, announcing research grants of up to $1.5 million for scientists developing innovative and sustainable rain enhancement solutions.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The programme, led by the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM), selected three international researchers from a pool of 140 proposals submitted by scientists across 48 countries. The initiative is part of the UAE Research Programme for Rain Enhancement Science, which supports advanced research aimed at addressing water scarcity in arid regions.<\/p>\n<p>The selected researchers are Dr. Michael Dixon of Echo Science Works (United States), Professor Linda Zou from Victoria University (Australia), and Dr. Oliver Branch of the University of Hohenheim (Germany). Each will receive funding over a three-year period, with annual support capped at $550,000.<\/p>\n<p>Their projects will explore next-generation cloud-seeding approaches, including the use of artificial intelligence, new environmentally friendly seeding materials, and ground-based techniques to improve cloud formation and rainfall efficiency. UAE officials emphasized that AI will play a key role in accurately identifying clouds most suitable for rain enhancement.<\/p>\n<p>With minimal natural rainfall and a heavy reliance on desalinated water, the UAE has invested significantly in cloud-seeding and currently carries out hundreds of seeding flights each year. Authorities see the new research programme as a critical step toward strengthening water reserves.<\/p>\n<p>The initiative is expected to support agriculture, enhance water sustainability, and contribute to long-term water security not only for the UAE but for other water-stressed regions as well.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The programme, led by National Centre of Meteorology, selected three international researchers from 140 proposals submitted by scientists from 48 countries. Web Desk January 23, 2026 ABU DHABI: The United Arab Emirates has launched a major new initiative to boost rainfall using cutting-edge cloud-seeding technologies, announcing research grants of up to $1.5 million for scientists [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":104026,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.bolnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/seeding.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-104025","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-top-news"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/104025","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=104025"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/104025\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/104026"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=104025"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=104025"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=104025"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}