How does a desert turn green?
In the parched deserts of the Middle East, countries such as the United Arab Emirates are spearheading new technologies to combat desertification and water scarcity, making significant and transformative investments. The Emirates is one of the region’s 12 “water-stressed countries.” CNBC looks at the country’s achievements, setbacks and the journey towards a greener country.
A transformation is unfolding in the United Arab Emirates, where approximately 80% of the country’s land is desert.
The UAE has introduced measures to combat desertification by turning its arid landscapes green. Other countries like China have also adopted similar processes.
The Middle East is home to 12 of the 17 most “water-stressed” countries of the world, and the UAE receives less than 200 mm of rainfall a year.
Comparatively, the U.K. soaked up an average of 1,051 mm of rain in 2022, while Singapore was drenched in a whopping 3,012 mm during the same year.
Abdulla Al Mandous, director general at the UAE National Centre of Meteorology, says that the country has invested more than $20 million in cloud seeding research — a process designed to enhance rainfall.
CNBC went inside the National Centre of Meteorology in Abu Dhabi to find out how the cloud seeding process works.
