Saudi Arabia is moving forward with plans to expand its cloud-seeding program in an effort to increase rainfall over its parched landscape. Osama Ibrahim Faqeeha, Saudi Arabia’s deputy environment minister, made the announcement while attending the UN General Assembly in New York. The kingdom aims to lead regional research into cloud seeding as part of its broader strategy to tackle water shortages and combat desertification.
Cloud seeding, which involves injecting substances into clouds to encourage rainfall, has been in development for years in Saudi Arabia. Initial efforts, which began in the early 2000s, were largely unsuccessful. However, Faqeeha said advances in artificial intelligence and meteorology have improved the accuracy of the program, allowing researchers to identify the most suitable clouds and timing for the process.
“We are a hyper arid country,” Faqeeha stated, emphasizing the kingdom’s need to pursue all possible options to boost its water supply. He added that cloud seeding is now more precise, no longer a “shot in the dark.” By targeting specific weather conditions, Saudi Arabia hopes to increase its limited water resources.
Critics of cloud seeding have raised concerns about the long-term effects on the environment, warning that manipulating natural weather patterns could have unforeseen consequences. Despite these concerns, Saudi Arabia remains committed to expanding the program and increasing its effectiveness.
In December, Saudi Arabia will host the COP16 summit on desertification. The country plans to use the event to highlight the growing threat of land degradation and push for more research into solutions like cloud seeding. Riyadh hopes that its leadership on this issue will inspire other nations facing similar environmental challenges.
