UAE to evaluate new rain enhancement proposals

The UAE has warned the cutoff deadline for proposals for the second cycle of its rain enhancement programme is fast approaching.

The programme, which began in 2015, is designed to encourage investments and international cooperation in rain enhancement and new and innovative ways to increase rainfall in arid and semi-arid regions.

This year’s process is sure to draw attention after the National Center for Atmospheric Research drew international headlines for its project to evaluate the possibility of building a manmade mountain to increase rainfall.

Read: UAE eyes man-made mountain to maximise rainfall

The second cycle has so far attracted 91 pre-proposals from 398 researchers and scientists from 180 institutions across 45 countries.

A total of 15 pre-proposals have been selected for the next phase of the programme following a review process conducted in May in Abu Dhabi.

The cutoff date for receiving full proposals is midnight on August 17.

The shortlisted pre-proposals relate to new seeding materials, numerical modelling and studies of aerosols and their relation to cloud formation processes, according to state news agency WAM.

“We are looking forward to evaluating all of these proposals to finally select the winners of this cycle,” said UAE Research Programme for Rain Enhancement Science programme manager Alya Al Mazroui

“We also expect participating full proposals to be of a high-calibre and very competitive since they offer innovative and promising scientific ideas that will add significant value to rain enhancement science.”

The review and evaluation of the proposals will take place from August 21 to September 22, followed by a panel meeting of the programme’s international technical committee on October 3 and 4.

The selection committee features 10 international experts supported by 16 ad-hoc reviewers, specialised in key scientific areas related to the topics of the proposals,” WAM said.

Up to five proposals will be selected to share the programme’s $5m grant this year based on criteria including overall scientific and technical merit, significance and innovation, approach, project/delivery plan, milestones and deliverables, the investigator and team, the required/available resources and budget, and capacity building.

These will be announced at Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week in January 2017.