The flood that hit the UAE in April last year caused an increase in greenery in the country's desert landscapes, research has found.
Vegetation in some areas increased by up to 40 per cent compared to the same time in 2023 and this has had a lasting impact, which is “very surprising”, climate scientist Dr Diana Francis told The National.
“If you drive through the desert now, you'll see green patches growing on the dunes. That's not something we are used to seeing in the UAE,” she added.
Dr Francis, head of the environmental and geophysical sciences lab at Khalifa University, co-wrote the paper published in the npj Climate and Atmospheric Science journal. She said it provided evidence that extreme weather was beginning to reshape ecosystems and alter local climates.
“Of course, this has an impact on the ecosystem, on the biodiversity, the small animals that live there, and also in the long term,” she said.
Boosting biodiversity
Dr Andrew Gardner, associate director of biodiversity conservation at Emirates Nature-WWF, agreed that weather events such as the 2024 floods can have a profound impact on local ecosystems.
“Such rare bursts of vegetation can temporarily boost biodiversity. Insects become more abundant, which supports lizards and, in turn, predators like snakes,” he said.
“In May [2024], for instance, we witnessed a dramatic emergence of snout moths, whose caterpillars feed on these desert plants,” he said. This biodiversity also supports small mammals such as gerbils and their predators, including falcons and desert monitor lizards.
However, Dr Gardner warned that such ecological responses are fascinating but “they are short-term and cannot offset the broader risks and disruptions posed by increasingly erratic climate patterns”.
Such weather could potentially cause climate zones to shift, Dr Francis said. “More vegetation means more moisture exchange and can even shift the boundary between arid and tropical zones.”
She said her study, which was published in May, aligns with earlier work suggesting the tropics are expanding, bringing more humid conditions to traditionally dry areas. That could fundamentally alter ecosystems and biodiversity in the Middle East.
Dr Gardner added that, in the Abu Dhabi desert, a flush of ephemeral plants – which grow only briefly when conditions are favourable – was observed. “Remarkably, some of this vegetation has persisted even in the absence of further rainfall into 2025,” he added.
While 2024 was the wettest year on record for the UAE, 2025 has so far has been the driest, with April and May breaching temperature records. Such fluctuations are driven by climate change, Dr Francis said.
Climate concern
The study confirmed that human-driven climate change made last year's rainfall in the UAE, the heaviest in 75 years, far more likely in the future.
The research used cutting-edge climate attribution science to examine the rainfall, Dr Francis explained.
“We compare simulations of the actual event with a hypothetical version under pre-industrial conditions. What we found was that anthropogenic [human-influenced] climate change dramatically increased both the intensity and likelihood of this event,” she said.
Is extreme weather the new normal?
Dr Francis said fluctuations between extreme heat and extreme rainfall showed “the fingerprint of climate change”. “The Arabian Sea is warming rapidly, and with warmer oceans comes more evaporation, which fuels heavier rainfall events,” she added.
A key finding of the study was the role of a weather pattern that meant saturated air from the Arabian Sea lingered over the UAE for 12 hours, significantly compounding the severity of last year's storm.
“Such events usually pass within hours,” Dr Francis explained. “But this one was sustained due to unusual atmospheric and oceanic conditions. With ocean surface temperatures rising, similar set-ups are increasingly likely.”
Need for resilient cities
The study includes an analysis of the effect of the flooding on urban infrastructure. The findings suggest existing drainage systems and land use policies need to be enhanced to cope with such extreme weather.
“Our cities are not designed to absorb these volumes of water,” Dr Francis said. “If we keep covering land with impermeable concrete, water has nowhere to go. We need to rethink urban planning with more green space and better drainage to reduce future damage.”
Plans are already under way. In Dubai, a Dh30 billion ($8.16 billion) drainage plan was approved last year.
The system aims to increase rainwater drainage capacity by 700 per cent, meet the emirate’s needs for 100 years and ensure the city is ready to face “climate-related challenges”.
Hot topic
Dr Francis and her team are turning their attention to extreme heat. “We're studying past heatwaves from a public health perspective, and we're also integrating artificial intelligence into weather models,” she said. “AI might help us improve the short-term forecasting of extreme events.”
She also said more vegetation in the desert would affect its ability to reflect solar radiation back into the atmosphere, potentially leading to hotter conditions.
“Instead of being all yellow, it is now yellow and green,” she said. “It's not the same energy that is being absorbed by the surface of the desert.”
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
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Director: S Shankar
Producer: Lyca Productions; presented by Dharma Films
Cast: Rajnikanth, Akshay Kumar, Amy Jackson, Sudhanshu Pandey
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Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
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The specs: Lamborghini Aventador SVJ
Price, base: Dh1,731,672
Engine: 6.5-litre V12
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 770hp @ 8,500rpm
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Fuel economy: 19.6L / 100km
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Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
Ferrari
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HOW TO WATCH
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The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
Read more about the coronavirus
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Who has been sanctioned?
Daniella Weiss and Nachala
Described as 'the grandmother of the settler movement', she has encouraged the expansion of settlements for decades. The 79 year old leads radical settler movement Nachala, whose aim is for Israel to annex Gaza and the occupied West Bank, where it helps settlers built outposts.
Harel Libi & Libi Construction and Infrastructure
Libi has been involved in threatening and perpetuating acts of aggression and violence against Palestinians. His firm has provided logistical and financial support for the establishment of illegal outposts.
Zohar Sabah
Runs a settler outpost named Zohar’s Farm and has previously faced charges of violence against Palestinians. He was indicted by Israel’s State Attorney’s Office in September for allegedly participating in a violent attack against Palestinians and activists in the West Bank village of Muarrajat.
Coco’s Farm and Neria’s Farm
These are illegal outposts in the West Bank, which are at the vanguard of the settler movement. According to the UK, they are associated with people who have been involved in enabling, inciting, promoting or providing support for activities that amount to “serious abuse”.
Game Changer
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Rating: 2/5
The specs
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Company name: Blah
Started: 2018
Founder: Aliyah Al Abbar and Hend Al Marri
Based: Dubai
Industry: Technology and talent management
Initial investment: Dh20,000
Investors: Self-funded
Total customers: 40
ICC Women's T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier 2025, Thailand
UAE fixtures
May 9, v Malaysia
May 10, v Qatar
May 13, v Malaysia
May 15, v Qatar
May 18 and 19, semi-finals
May 20, final
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EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
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Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
