cloud seeding
Newsletter
Manipulating the atmosphere and its unforeseen consequences
Recent severe weather in the UAE and Oman raises questions about the impact of cloud seeding on our environment.
In short:
- Record-breaking rainfall in the UAE and Oman resulted in widespread disruption and fatalities last week.
- Cloud seeding, a form of geoengineering, is under scrutiny for its potential role in exacerbating weather events.
- The science of cloud seeding is evolving, with experts debating its effectiveness and unintended regional impacts.
Key quote:
"We are in territory now where we can’t necessarily rely on past experience and past outcomes to inform us what is likely to happen when we intervene."
— Janette Lindesay, climate scientist at Australian National University
Why this matters:
There's a risk that reliance on artificial methods of weather modification could overshadow more sustainable approaches to water management and climate change mitigation. In addition, decisions on when and where to deploy cloud seeding can lead to conflicts over water rights and access, particularly in transboundary contexts where multiple countries or jurisdictions are involved.
Learn more: Science advisor Shuchi Talati discusses sunlight-blocking aerosols, ocean seeding, rogue geoengineers—and the misunderstood field of geoengineering.
Keep reading...Show less
Malaysia to seed clouds to combat smoke from fires in Indonesia
Malaysian authorities have prepared a series of measures, including seeding clouds and closing schools, to combat air pollution from hundreds of fires raging in neighboring Indonesia.
Newsletter
Mexico steps up rain-making project amid intense heatwave and drought
Amid a historic heatwave and months of drought, Mexico’s government has launched the latest phase of a cloud seeding project it hopes will increase rainfall.
The Western water crisis is turning to an 80-year-old solution: Shooting crystals at clouds
It's not a comprehensive solution, but cloud seeding could help address the drought in the Colorado River Basin.
Rainmaking experiments boom amid worsening drought
Severe drought around the world, worsened by the steady progression of climate change, has sparked a growing interest in innovative forms of water management from researchers, governments and corporate giants.
What is 'cloud seeding'?
Tricking clouds into pouring down rain is one way to fight drought. But the method is not without critics.
To fight severe drought, China is turning to technology
The country is exploring cloud seeding, GM crops, and a multibillion-dollar water-transfer system to address its worst water shortages on record.
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