Letting it Rain in the UAE
As extreme droughts continue to plague the planet, countries are racing for a solution. The United Nations (UN) now identifies Arab countries as some of the most water scarce states on the globe. With climate change and overpopulation culminating to create the perfect storm of water scarcity, new technology may be the solution.
Since the 1940s, cloud seeding has been developed and practiced. This new technology is essentially the creation of increased rainfall. Ground based generators are used to produce crystalized silver iodine. Following this process, aircraft carriers release the crystals into cloud formations. After this release, it’s simply a waiting game for the rain to begin falling.
As the nation with the fourth largest demand for water in the world, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been utilizing cloud seeding as a potential source of water. With the average citizen in the UAE consuming roughly 550 liters of water daily, researchers are scrambling to keep up with the high demand. Thus, both desalination and cloud seeding have become considerations. Desalination is the process of removing salt from saltwater. In its most basic form, the desalination of ocean waters can provide a possible source of water for irrigation and possibly drinking. However, each desalination plant costs approximately $1 billion to construct and operate. On the contrary, cloud seeding technology can be up to 30 times cheaper to create and utilize.
While cloud seeding seems to be a perfect solution to water scarcity, the complexity of the atmosphere above the UAE makes it far from ideal. Cloud formations are extremely rare and fast-moving. Thus, pilots must be in the air ready to release the silver iodine within 30 to 45 minutes of a cloud spotting. Moreover, the arid climate creates atmospheric conditions that are not always conducive to the chemical reaction that silver iodine creates. This has prompted researchers in the UAE to produce nanotechnology that is perhaps a better match to the climate. And while the nanotechnology could fix the aforementioned issues, there are two major issues that remain.
First is the uncertainty of cloud seeding. Scientists across the globe remain skeptical that cloud seeding works. According to lan Robock, an atmospheric scientist at Rutgers University, it is difficult to tell if the cloud that was seeded would have produced rain anyway. Following the release of chemicals into the atmosphere, current research cannot explain what happens to the cloud. This is true because of a lack of control in this atmospheric experiment. Friedrich reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that cloud seeding experiments in Idaho have enlarged snowflakes significantly enough for them to fall to the ground. This groundbreaking research is a possible indication of the effectiveness of the technology. Despite this, the effects of cloud seeding on the type and size of precipitation released is uncontrollable by scientists. The consequences of this uncertainty were felt by the residents of Dubai when seeding in the atmosphere created intense rainfall that flooded residential neighborhoods. This cautionary tale indicates the dangers of altering natural processes.
Second, jurisdiction regarding the atmosphere above the country is just as convoluted as the jurisdiction of the land below it. Questions regarding where countries can seed clouds and how rainfall should be allocated between countries remain. Cloud seeding has the potential to drain the moisture out of clouds which results in even less rainfall for neighboring nations downstream. Moreover, clouds remain free-flowing formations that can be seeded in one country but release precipitation in another. The worst possible result of this is a water war.
Historically, the Middle East and North Africa region has been plagued by droughts and lack of rainfall. These dire situations have led to water wars. With greater divisions affecting the region, water has been used as grounds for conflict that truly began with deeper issues. In total, there have been roughly 500 conflicts over water worldwide in the last 50 years. If the UAE is perceived to have depleted the water of other nations through cloud seeding, conflict could flare up again.
Despite flaws with cloud seeding technology, it is a vital step towards solving water shortages. Given the historical challenges surrounding water allocation in the Middle East, the UAE must tread lightly. Defining clear boundaries regarding where clouds can be seeded would provide a good start. Moreover, if the lack of rainfall in neighboring countries is a concern, the UAE should take steps to create an agreement regarding either the quantity or frequency that they can seed. Considering the fact that clouds typically travel west to east, Omar and the UAE must work together to maintain peace in this time of need. The lack of water must take precedence over issues surrounding cloud seeding. Thus, the best course of action moving forward is to let it rain.
Jordana Kotler ’26 studies in the College of Arts & Sciences. She can be reached at j.kotler@wustl.edu.
Image courtesy of science.org by the Creative Commons