Can cloud seeding make the UAE's desert green?

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 #DesertGreening #Dubai
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[@POVdoing]

Anybody else here after watching the flood videos this morning from them getting a year worth of rain in one day?

[@__________________________6910]

Yes

[@sir3278]

Yep

[@jiyunotsubasaa]

Sorry I'm late

[@Currentlygurleen]

Yes

[@matsten]

Me

[@MatanT18]

Who’s here as Dubai is turning into a lake?

[@magesalmanac6424]

Desert greening works! I watch this type of content on KZbin all the time ☺️ It just has to be done right. You can’t just plant miles of the same type of plant. Different systems have to work in unison.

[@abduwahabhasan]

I also like to watch these type of videos 😊

[@fromhersanctuary]

I’m fascinated and it looks like I’ll be joining you in watching more videos about this!

[@user-ce3jn5nq3c]

this is not without consequence,clouds seeding 😂,

[@user-du3gu2nm4q]

U think u are smart than export........ How arrogant u r

[@Leto2ndAtreides]

Wonder how this impacts the normal flow of water in the world and where those clouds would naturally have ended up producing rain.

[@Ollybus]

That was my immediate thought too.

[@solmanJapan]

Assuming they would have and not just evaporated... I can't imagine it will make a huge difference given that countries like the UAE and Australia struggle with getting rainfall where they need it.

[@Leto2ndAtreides]

@@solmanJapan Let's consider other countries. Like, if historically water ends up producing rain in one country or region, but on the way another country takes out those clouds, then water isn't reaching where it usually would. Of course, you just can't say what the impact might be without suitable models and historical data. But if we go the direction of engineering the weather, there's an even chance that it'd require coordination across counties. Similar to how one country blocking rivers that happen to pass through their territory can become a problem for where that water historically went.

[@HigherQualityUploads]

There have been reports that regions surrounding one that practices cloud seeding see less rainfall. Mankind's arrogance has them thinking they're creating moisture. They're not. They're just robbing it from elsewhere.

[@nicksmith7989]

@@solmanJapanAustralia and the UAE aren’t really comparable though are they? Australia is an enormous country and continent, with dozens of different climate and ecological zones. The UAE is a tiny country that is and always was, desert. UAE cloud seeding is forcing an unnatural occurrence for increased rainfall in the desert, when those clouds would have dropped the rain somewhere else completely different.

[@karthikn8536]

Feels a lot like a marketing video than a doc.

[@andyroid7339]

Exactly. A sort of 'We're trying hard, really we are' apology for their embarrassment at COP28

[@elsamartin6515]

That's what I also thought. They don't show any actual result, it's just generic footage from the UAE

[@eslnoob191]

Most videos about Qatar and the UAE are like that. Close to 100 percent

[@Watchamacallit000]

The trees are watered with desalinated seawater, which has a very detrimental environmental impact. The trees that are planted aren't drought resistant species either. Instead of laying artificial grass, huge water thirsty lawns are planted that require near constant irrigation in summer. Since cloudseeding started, the rain hasn't increased but the fog, which provides moisture for the survival of desert plants and wildlife, has deteriorated. There is too much interference. One can PR it as much as you want to. The system isn't optimal. For it to work effectively, wiser decisions need to be made

[@Drantico]

The question that stands to mind is how much carbon dioxide was emitted to produce such beautiful environments? Do these greenlands actually suck CO2 if you consider all the building, solar panels production, fertilization, transportation, on the equation? And what are the consequences to global climate if you use cloud engineering ? Those are topics i haven't seen anyone talk about...

[@lfckaran]

No one talks about them because it’s not important to their agenda. The truth is that when you combine all these industrial processes to simulate the effect of nature to your benefit, there is an inherent net negative effect on the environment. It further disrupts the already tragic equilibrium of nature we currently have.

[@Krobra91]

Slowly but surely yes. Remember the area is a desert... so C02 emissions are already high, by starting to make these green areas, they are alreay starting to combat the areas

[@omairtech6711]

@@Krobra91 Yes, this is the right answer.

[@nugrahaeiga]

They use treated wastewater for the greneery, including the golf course

[@ctrl-shift-run8681]

Well, this explains a lot with the floods going on recently.

[@Hasanaljadid]

Actually The flood is natural

[@FukutenshiYoufan]

They literally have unlimited salt in their sea. Using that salt, they can cloud seed so that there'll be rains. And waters will make the desert becoming greens and more liveable. So, it's actually a very great solution and a win-win solution. ❣

[@bogdan78pop]

They don't use salt NaCl........they use some type of salt .....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ( any chemical compound formed from the reaction of an acid with a base, with all or part of the hydrogen of the acid replaced by a metal or other cation....)

[@nicksmith7989]

Except the countries who would historically have received that rainfall are now not going to, purely so the UAE has a nice attraction for tourism. Deserts themselves are a unique ecosystem, and given UAE and virtually all of the Arabian peninsula has been desert for thousands of years, this is essentially environmental terrorism. They’re destroying an ecosystem, they aren’t reversing desertification like the great green walls in China and across North Africa.

[@southerncross5360]

How'd that work out? Here's one of the many headlines dated April 17 "At Least 20 Dead In UAE And Oman After Record Rainfall Causes Severe Flooding"

[@cryptoth4n0s77]

I also thought the best time to irrigate plants is during the late evening where less evaporation takes place to save the less water

[@robertlee6338]

Non issue as long as there is desalinated water

[@northerncousin7862]

better to water in the early morning starting just after sunrise and before the heat of the day. Plants need sunlight to photosynthesize so irrigation over night allows more time for water to evaporate and ends up wasting water.

[@samkithkumar6037]

Edit: The city of Las Vegas uses huge amount of water,sometimes just to entertain, in what is a very dry region Las vegas uses up to 629 litres of water per person per day (P.S) just now checked it wasn't LA it was las vegas Source: Question it by Philip Steele

[@L154N4LG4IB]

Beauty? In LA? You sure?

[@edmondantes4338]

625 liters a day is nothing. It's the water consumption of a single family.

[@samkithkumar6037]

@@L154N4LG4IB yes pretty sure

[@samkithkumar6037]

@@edmondantes4338 but still every drop counts

[@rajeshranjan3199]

I don't believe you.

[@NedInYaHead]

Modern day alchemy - making fertile soil from dust and sand... Imagine if someone from ancient history saw this! Fascinating!

[@Tamoiii]

And now it rain too much

[@helloim3j]

Hectares, square miles, square meters... Please pick a system of measurement.

[@aktan4ik]

Whats with the ammo reload sounds?

[@Citizen-of-theworld]

That must be the most well funded meteorological centre in the world. Very flashy indeed!

[@conanclarke9308]

Pity cant swap some of the Arab desert sunshine for some of the west of Ireland cold rainy weather

[@daniel11111]

I lived in the UAE for the first 30 years of my life and now live in Ireland. And I can’t stress this enough, do not wish for this. It is bad, really bad. Ireland is heaven on earth (the weather). Lush green, rainy, cold weather > dry, soul crushing heat, dusty.

[@ahkkariq7406]

We have more than enough rain here in Norway too. Sometimes I wonder if "someone" is manipulating the weather and giving us more rain than we would get naturally to fill the reservoirs that produce power and thus money.

[@leakeice]

How is cloud seeding working out for them now?

[@andrewphillips2478]

Lol this backfired

[@namralopes]

That's impressive! Combatting desertification is crucial, especially in regions facing water scarcity. It's inspiring to see countries like the UAE and China taking steps to green their landscapes and mitigate the impacts of arid conditions

[@davisoaresalves5179]

Yet the UAE keeps burning oil.

[@ghost91977]

Also yet, One of the biggest solar farms in the world are in UAE.

[@beepboopbeepp]

If we quit oil before we have proper new green energy then it would be the same as suicide

[@dontlaughtoomuch11]

@@ghost91977 Go visit Dubai, NOT A SINGLE SOLAR PANEL in sight.. Reason; the sun fries the wiring and causes the panels to malfunction... (Ironicaly, it's too hot to work optimally)

[@michaelmatisse2808]

The money from oil funds water desalination, the water desalinated helps regreen the desert, and using a lot of this desalinated water helps reduce the sea level rising because of global warming.

[@dontlaughtoomuch11]

@@michaelmatisse2808 You do realize that's the DUMBEST idea you can do right?! At the very least use a nuclear power plant this way you don't stress the environment! If you ever lived near an oil processing plant, I can tell you the whole area stinks like a fart! Side note, you can't "green" a hot desert! Using a finite energy source to create drinking water! Side note, desalinated water does NOT contain natural minerals... And what are you going to do with the brine?! Your design isn't circular... Israel tried it on a small scale and nearly depleted the Sea of Galilea! This isn't a "high" desert like in Ethiopia or in some places of Colorado!

[@Agapimo]

They are not following the SIMPLE principles of the water cycle: evaporation = condensation/clouds=rain Apply permaculture principles to slow and capture rain within the landscape so can then have enough subsoil water to support plants that TRANSPIRE, evaporate water from their leaves, which feeds into the natural water cycle. Also vital to increasing water efficiency, recycle 100% of used water as nature does, and include more green roofs and spaces to further the cycle while reducing the tendency of urban areas to elevate temperatures in a heat island effect.

[@Adam.5111]

You can not use the term desertification so loosely. You can not have desertification in a place that has already been a desert for hundreds of years if not for Millenniums like the UAE and Saudi Arabia. You can use the term desertification for countries and region that have a reasonable amount of vegetation like Mexico or South Africa.

[@halnelson5936]

Not all the lands of these countries are deserts check the west Saudi Arabia

[@sparrowt4082]

"Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert." -- Isaiah 43:19 (NKJV)

[@CM73878]

It’s been a washout.

[@juandoe2696]

4:43 ... wait so they paved paradise just to put up a parking? Guess Joni Michell was right they didn't know what they had till it was gone.

[@magesalmanac6424]

You nailed it… that song resonates stronger than ever.

[@user-fm6ns5nb4j]

Don't forget it was Dubai that built those stupid islands in the shape of palm trees (dredging up coral reefs in the process). Built a city without planning and building a central water treatment system. And chose an American model of suburban planning when they could have taken the best ideas from anywhere in the World.

[@daniel11111]

@@user-fm6ns5nb4j’stupid islands’? 🤣. Sour grape huh?

[@user-fm6ns5nb4j]

@@daniel11111 Not really, only one has been finished, they've caused problems along the rest of the Dubai coast because of changed currents. And they caused huge environmental destruction - most countries are at pains to preserve their coral reefs and oyster beds - Dubai built over theirs.

[@daniel11111]

@@user-fm6ns5nb4j that one island brings in more revenue than your corrupt politicians can envision.And talking about environmental impacts, western nations with comparable per capita emissions should be the last one talking,

[@ngelorum516]

There is one problem...cloud seeding doesn't just effect the area you're doing the cloud seeding. Cloud seeding may work well for the UAE but could cause droughts in other parts of the world or can cause more rain in other areas of the world that don't need more rain

[@etaylor8028]

The team is so passionate to the cause that they even dress as clouds

[@namralopes]

Also UAE's attempts to reverse desertification by reforesting its barren landscapes are admirable, particularly in light of the region's problems with water constraint. Seeing other nations, like China, addressing environmental challenges with comparable steps is encouraging.

[@pistolen87]

Where does the water that the tress require come from? Does the trees needs for water compete with human needs?

[@oldparkhouse8136]

Wonderful news. I have wondered when some of the Middle Eastern countries would start to address and how they would tackle it. Shukran!

[@ericliu5491]

Could seeding is the best way to address water shortages because it does not require new infrastructure.

[@leonelbustosb]

So amateur, that they can’t even take out the dollar sign from their numbers when talking about other numbers

[@RUHappyATM]

CNBC doesn't pay its video editors enough.

[@jnusslein6301]

India got best reforestation project

[@ufcprophet40]

Habibis at work

[@Talkwithtina808]

When will people learn to stop messing with Mother Nature !

[@devanshmalikk]

if there was no sand there would have been no amazon!

[@michaelmatisse2808]

To reduce the sea water level rising we should all use desalinated water.

[@brendatenorio5721]

Great but too bad they didnt opt for landscaping for water recharge, tree planting, grasses, shrubs, rewilding. Possible using traditional desert community designs like ellipticals, crescent shaped water collection systems that creates shade, erosion control, vegetative diversity, water sustenance that protects nature and environment. Exploiting technology alone is not sustainable and environmental disastrous.

[@Vic4ful]

Greening deserts is a great way to absorb CO2 and create oxygen, plus all the economic benefits you explained. Unluckily it is not a silver bullet, as it has also a negative effect: trees attract more sun energy (and thus heat) than deserts, as they are "darker" than sand. Scientific studies show how greening the entire Sahara would actually INCREASE global temperature.

[@HKspurs10]

It would also increase rainfall with the biotic pump, kickstarting a positive feedback loop

[@Lock2002ful]

@@HKspurs10 What does positive feedback loop mean in this case?

[@HKspurs10]

@@Lock2002ful meaning once there are enough trees planted, it will generate localised rainfall, hence naturally allowing the forest to grow without anymore man-made intervention, hence it's not as though you'll need to replant the entire thing

[@Lock2002ful]

@@HKspurs10 ​​⁠​⁠ Ahh, ok. Thank you! What do you think about what the OP said concerning increasing global temperature should, for example, the whole of the Sahara become green. I don’t know about that but then again I’m no scientist.

[@RUHappyATM]

How so? I would have thought greening provides rainfall with a cooling effect, rather than hot dry air over deserts.

[@supergirlangela]

are they trying to make it rain with plains?

[@EarnestBunbury]

“your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should.” Turning deserts green certainly brings benefits to locals, but it may diminish the earth’s albedo, its ability to reflect light and heat. Therefore it might cause earth’s temperature to raise more, than the captured co2 would have. Geoengineering is a difficult task

[@ahvidaneidavirgilluminous8754]

Great efforts

[@andyroid7339]

Hmm? Whilst we need to replace the greenery we've destroyed, I wonder if undertaking the task in this way is best. Two thoughts: i) what are the unintended consequences (and there will be some) of cloud seeding? Where would the water have gone had it not been encouraged to consolidate into a cloud? ii) Is there any consideration of the albedo effect? My third thought - Why should I trust anything in this report when it appears to be in wholehearted support of nations which think nothing of building 'white elephants' (the Palm and 'World resorts), at great environmental cost (I don't just mean ecosystem disruption, there's also the fossil fuel energy expended) and the journalist at no point makes any challenging comment or counter argument. Rather, she appears to simply accept what she's told. We saw plenty of footage of plants in a nursery but little in the way of actual mature bushes and trees insitu. I also wondered why, given what is known about evaporation and temperature, were plants being watered during daylight hours?

[@shub202]

Nature be like let's make it an ocean

[@amrani_art]

True innovation, so fascinating how people come up with creative solutions to sustain life.

[@auliatulananda]

In indonesia, we plant cassava but harvesing corn

[@probablytwhatyouthinkB777]

You pronounce ghafs very beautifully

[@user-zq9zp1mo1b]

The smarter question would be..Should you turn desserts into forests??????...don't mess with mother natüre !!!we all love the way we look...especially her...shes gorgeous ...

[@words-island1011]

That's what I waw thinking but no one ask themselves this. Forcefully putting our hands on things at once would turn from a bad thing to another. We just distract attention from the real problem cause it will make them uncomfortable to admit or to start from them into turning things better. All things have their own place and role and if some stuff got worse because of our actions, the best thing is to try to fix that without disturbing anything and making it more natural

[@lokesh303101]

With Water Resources Conservation Desert Turns Green.

[@TIGERZY2K]

What if India could export it's babool and kikar plant saplings to UAE then may be it would help the Arab Sheikhs in speeding up the fight against desertification.

[@jameschristophercirujano6650]

With all that money, they couldn't even make a forest. Like dump their treated sewage somewhere that makes use of plants to clean it further.

[@qasimgilani2008]

Wonderful

[@0animalproductworld558]

The problem is heat, if this world cools down, the desert will stop expanding. I think the desert is beautiful though but there must be a balance.

[@potatomatop9326]

you're just giving MrBeast ideas...

[@CNBCi]

We look forward to the shout out once the video is published.

[@ahooliu28]

Nah it just flooded the roads instead.

[@shazmosushi]

Is there recent evidence that cloud seeding works? It will be fantastic if people can control rainfall, to make it happen over dryer places and land areas, rather than even more rainfall on already wet areas and oceans. But last I checked there's no evidence of its effectiveness.

[@m.r.squarestudio9398]

There is , I am living in UAE. Every once in a while they announce cloud seeding and then it actually rains even during summer. They do it during the weekends

[@gman7329]

Cloud seeding has been around since the 60’s, surely they wouldn’t still be doing it if it didn’t work.

[@ayyyejesterdazed]

So… is that why there’s random floods happening in Dubai rn??

[@kkbmmalinaukaltara5786]

Take CNBC International to the Taklamakan and Gobi deserts in China. as well as modern desert farming.

[@rmar127]

Cloud seeding in the uae would be a useless waste of money. They don’t have the topography to induce rain. Ie: there are very few mountains to bring in precipitation. All the seeding would do is improve rainfall across the gulf in Iran.

[@wotizit]

Well well well

[@joannemoore64]

😂​@@wotizit

[@salamandiuswestlife7729]

Keep it up

[@joostoons8001]

We should stand with this kind of idea.

[@mrpokefan8369]

The question on the efficiency was not answered

[@dcc70]

0:40 why is there a teleprompter with Chinese script in the back? Is CNBC a Chinese owned news outlet?

[@suny1265]

Yes they got water now...they just need Paul Moadib Artredis to turn it green 💚🍏🤣🤣🤣

[@tamoghnadas8581]

If Emirates is to survive in future it has to find a way fo change the desert back to green land. Such artifical rains will occur more as weather changes rapidly in the future. Fhey need to find a way to get this excess water to the ground, thus increasing ground water.

[@Yamato-Yamato888]

UAE Floods caused by Cloud seeding project. Cloud seeding increases floods, dryness, droughts, deserts, extreme weather, and climate change. We need to actively undertake projects to green deserts, increase forests, and conserve forests so that natural rain can fall all over the world.

[@pollen_za]

I learnt about cloud seeding from my Professor in Physical Geography @ North-West University 🇿🇦

[@arloalps6215]

And what is graphite made of? Coal! We gotta stop burning it & start using it more efficiently!

[@Tradingsamurai1]

The gun cocking sounds, and upwards inflections at the end of sentences, make this very difficult to take seriously

[@lucijanpraprotnik]

I think this solution could stop desertification in any countries where there is a lack of water and rain

[@aaquibalhossain5728]

So

[@suitedup2965]

20 million is pocket change to gov why does anyone go without water?

[@duncanbedford4765]

At last someone is taking a logical approach!❤

[@williamwatitwa3534]

Ams and flooding the whole country

[@duncanbedford4765]

@@williamwatitwa3534 I don't understand?

[@hardcoreherbivore4730]

If trends keep going as they are, UAE needs to figure out a solution for water capture.

[@roodycrles3465]

They can build their cities to accommodate flooding

[@Continentalmunkey88]

Hydroponics industry experts without metaphors or jargon

[@Memessssss]

The flood last week has made dubai way more green

[@htk3342]

wow

[@simonpannett8810]

Better to form a natural sustainable eco system that will hold and attract water!! Hope they do not pump saline water back into the sea from desalination!

[@toni4729]

If the desert is being rained on, what other countries are going to suffer. What countries are milling out? The clouds are sailing past other countries that they used to drop rain on.

[@JerryAgenyi]

Where there is a will...ways emerge.

[@bharath2508]

Desertification works if you can get enough water for the plants.

[@red4666]

Wouldn’t it be easier to clean and pump water from the Gulf? Then plant trees and crap.

[@Rockhampton633]

U can't compare London and Singapore together. There countries get rain every day

[@supppp1234]

you have water to feed 40 billion animals

[@michaelsmith953]

lol so they just have salty rain

[@TsarHare]

do that in malibu

[@southerncross5360]

They did it in Modesto

[@brendatenorio5721]

Manipulating weather affects our world weather not just that country and should not be encouraged.

[@sa34w]

Humans are weird they create desserts from forests and forests from desserts 😂

[@mididude03]

I guess people are dollars now

[@user-ho1ln5ny1r]

32°C is normal when temperature is stable Or minimum 28° C But where is 46 °C. Normally it is the place minimise now ,some where one year's changes is minimum helper One Socail media addiction is main that is only thinks for minimum to weather's uncertainty is main 32°C is stable of temparature for some places but is not for certain political parties it is realted nature because nature talks to which some are understands it

[@dou40006]

We hear about cloud seeding but never see the results on how effective it is,

[@Ordinator1]

Yeah, that's a shame.

[@tommybreen9677]

Allan Savory & holistic management have been turning desert into grasslands using nothing only cattle & change of thinking. Producing food, job's, habitat for very low cost.

[@adewunmitemitope5261]

You're clearly confused, 1 billion USD? Waow

[@gautamgautamkrishna]

The anchor looks like someone else 😊

[@dt6esdff413]

all they had to is to build large scale desalination system, flood the dunes and erect nation wide urban jungle. but no, more hotel instead.

[@antnam4406]

Now they got more water they can ever dream of. FLOOD

[@SpikedJet]

Prophet Muhammad(pbuh) prophesied that arabia will turn green. Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (way peace be upon him) as saying: The Last Hour will not come before wealth becomes abundant and overflowing, so much so that a man takes Zakat out of his property and cannot find anyone to accept it from him and till the land of Arabia reverts to meadows and rivers. [Source: Sahih Muslim 157c]

[@ismailnoor9554]

Our prophet S.A.W spoke the truth.

[@user-go6il2tm4b]

I am studying english with this video to build my vocab... ah....,si bal zz

[@oeao2841]

Why can't other middle eastern countries do what Dubai is doing?

[@channa_keeperz8587]

They made it become river ….