Artificial intelligence could hold the key to maintaining access to fresh water in a sustainable way, experts at an international conference in Abu Dhabi said on Wednesday.
It came as they gathered to address mounting challenges threatening global water security, including climate change, population growth, and industrial demand, on the final day of the Trends Research and Advisory’s Sustainable Water Security Conference on Wednesday.
With the UN warning that the world’s population could face severe water stress within the next five years, Alya Al Mazrouei, director of the UAE Research Programme for Rain Enhancement Science, said the world needs to do more to avoid the "dire consequences" of shortages.
AI and Innovation at the Forefront
“Arid and semi-arid regions like the UAE are particularly vulnerable,” Ms Al Mazrouei said, highlighting that the country receives just 100mm of rainfall annually.
Innovative solutions such as cloud seeding and AI-powered forecasting are becoming increasingly vital, she added.
Ms Al Mazrouei also revealed that the UAE is exploring AI-driven models capable of predicting rainfall at hyper-local scales, enabling better water management and more efficient planning for drought-prone regions.
Empowering youth, driving research
Two major initiatives were unveiled at the conference to strengthen research and foster innovation in water security.
One is the Trends Water Security Research Competition. This will be a platform encouraging students, researchers, and experts to propose innovative solutions for sustainable water management while shaping national and regional policies.
The other is the Trends Water Security Youth Council. This is an initiative aimed at empowering young professionals and encouraging active participation in addressing water-related challenges through research and development.
Looking ahead
With global water demand projected to surge in the coming decades, experts stressed the importance of leveraging advanced technologies, promoting regional cooperation, and investing in research to ensure sustainability.
Panellists agreed that AI has the potential to transform how water resources are managed and conserved water resources.
The UN has repeatedly warned that global demand for water is projected to rise by 20 to 30 per cent by 2050, while droughts have already surged in frequency by nearly a third since 2000. More than two billion people worldwide still lack access to safe drinking water, and the World Bank estimates that scarcity could shave up to 6 per cent off GDP in some regions by the middle of the century.
Technology offers hope
Advances in desalination and renewable energy technologies are helping some nations improve their resilience.
“The cost of desalinated water has come down dramatically,” former UK defence secretary Sir Liam Fox said at the conference on Tuesday. “A decade ago it was $9 per 1,000 litres, and that’s now down to around $4.”
He pointed to Morocco, which is using its solar and wind power together with its long Atlantic coast to boost desalination. He also praised the UAE for its projects at home and also in helping broker regional co-operation. Other experts at the conference also stressed the need to accelerate breakthroughs.
Ayesha Al Ateeqi, executive director of the Mohamed bin Zayed Water Initiative, said: “The water segment has been quite stagnant, and we don’t see the same transformations as in fields like artificial intelligence and energy.
“The question we ask is how can we accelerate breakthrough technologies and break economic barriers to make water resources more accessible? How can we ensure these solutions are deployed and scaled at the right pace?” She warned that water scarcity still does not receive the international attention it needs.
Prof Ahmed Ali Alraeesi, acting vice chancellor of the UAE University, said education and research also plays an important role in achieving water sustainability.
“At the UAE University, water resources is identified as a main research area,” he said. “We offer the Master of Science specialising in water sustainability and environment and another specialisation in water resources.”
The specs: 2019 Cadillac XT4
Price, base: Dh145,000
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged in-line four-cylinder engine
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Power: 237hp @ 5,000rpm
Torque: 350Nm @ 1,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.7L / 100km
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Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
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8.15pm: Handicap; Dh185,000; (D) 2,000m
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Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
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• Remittance charges will be tackled by blockchain
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• Could the UAE drive India's economy?
• News has a bright future and the UAE is at the heart of it
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In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
The White Lotus: Season three
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• News has a bright future and the UAE is at the heart of it
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• The National announces Future of News journalism competition
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hall of shame
SUNDERLAND 2002-03
No one has ended a Premier League season quite like Sunderland. They lost each of their final 15 games, taking no points after January. They ended up with 19 in total, sacking managers Peter Reid and Howard Wilkinson and losing 3-1 to Charlton when they scored three own goals in eight minutes.
SUNDERLAND 2005-06
Until Derby came along, Sunderland’s total of 15 points was the Premier League’s record low. They made it until May and their final home game before winning at the Stadium of Light while they lost a joint record 29 of their 38 league games.
HUDDERSFIELD 2018-19
Joined Derby as the only team to be relegated in March. No striker scored until January, while only two players got more assists than goalkeeper Jonas Lossl. The mid-season appointment Jan Siewert was to end his time as Huddersfield manager with a 5.3 per cent win rate.
ASTON VILLA 2015-16
Perhaps the most inexplicably bad season, considering they signed Idrissa Gueye and Adama Traore and still only got 17 points. Villa won their first league game, but none of the next 19. They ended an abominable campaign by taking one point from the last 39 available.
FULHAM 2018-19
Terrible in different ways. Fulham’s total of 26 points is not among the lowest ever but they contrived to get relegated after spending over £100 million (Dh457m) in the transfer market. Much of it went on defenders but they only kept two clean sheets in their first 33 games.
LA LIGA: Sporting Gijon, 13 points in 1997-98.
BUNDESLIGA: Tasmania Berlin, 10 points in 1965-66
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West Ham 2-3 Tottenham
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Watford 0-3 Burnley
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Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
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- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
National Editorial: Suleimani has been killed, now we must de-escalate
Jack Moore: Why the assassination is such a monumental gamble
Matthew Levitt: Iran retains its ability to launch terror attacks
Damien McElroy: A CEO tasked with spreading Iran's influence
Hussein Ibish: Trump's order on solid constitutional ground
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National Editorial: Suleimani has been killed, now we must de-escalate
Mina Al Oraibi: Air strike casts a long shadow over the decade ahead
Matthew Levitt: Iran retains its ability to launch terror attacks
Damien McElroy: A CEO tasked with spreading Iran's influence
Hussein Ibish: Trump's order on solid constitutional ground
Simon Waldman: Cautious Israel keeping a low profile
Background
European arms
Known EU weapons transfers to Ukraine since the war began: Germany 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 Stinger surface-to-air missiles. Luxembourg 100 NLAW anti-tank weapons, jeeps and 15 military tents as well as air transport capacity. Belgium 2,000 machine guns, 3,800 tons of fuel. Netherlands 200 Stinger missiles. Poland 100 mortars, 8 drones, Javelin anti-tank weapons, Grot assault rifles, munitions. Slovakia 12,000 pieces of artillery ammunition, 10 million litres of fuel, 2.4 million litres of aviation fuel and 2 Bozena de-mining systems. Estonia Javelin anti-tank weapons. Latvia Stinger surface to air missiles. Czech Republic machine guns, assault rifles, other light weapons and ammunition worth $8.57 million.
Mia Man’s tips for fermentation
- Start with a simple recipe such as yogurt or sauerkraut
- Keep your hands and kitchen tools clean. Sanitize knives, cutting boards, tongs and storage jars with boiling water before you start.
- Mold is bad: the colour pink is a sign of mold. If yogurt turns pink as it ferments, you need to discard it and start again. For kraut, if you remove the top leaves and see any sign of mold, you should discard the batch.
- Always use clean, closed, airtight lids and containers such as mason jars when fermenting yogurt and kraut. Keep the lid closed to prevent insects and contaminants from getting in.
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• News has a bright future and the UAE is at the heart of it
• Architecture is over - here's cybertecture
• The National announces Future of News journalism competition
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• Could the UAE drive India's economy?
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Mario Benedetti, Penguin Modern Classics
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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."
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
• Remittance charges will be tackled by blockchain
• UAE's monumental and risky Mars Mission to inspire future generations, says minister
• Could the UAE drive India's economy?
• News has a bright future and the UAE is at the heart of it
• Architecture is over - here's cybertecture
• The National announces Future of News journalism competition
• Round up: Experts share their visions of the world to come
Jebel Ali Dragons 26 Bahrain 23
Dragons
Tries: Hayes, Richards, Cooper
Cons: Love
Pens: Love 3
Bahrain
Tries: Kenny, Crombie, Tantoh
Cons: Phillips
Pens: Phillips 2
COMPANY PROFILE
World record transfers
1. Kylian Mbappe - to Real Madrid in 2017/18 - €180 million (Dh770.4m - if a deal goes through)
2. Paul Pogba - to Manchester United in 2016/17 - €105m
3. Gareth Bale - to Real Madrid in 2013/14 - €101m
4. Cristiano Ronaldo - to Real Madrid in 2009/10 - €94m
5. Gonzalo Higuain - to Juventus in 2016/17 - €90m
6. Neymar - to Barcelona in 2013/14 - €88.2m
7. Romelu Lukaku - to Manchester United in 2017/18 - €84.7m
8. Luis Suarez - to Barcelona in 2014/15 - €81.72m
9. Angel di Maria - to Manchester United in 2014/15 - €75m
10. James Rodriguez - to Real Madrid in 2014/15 - €75m
PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES
All kick-off times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Saturday
Liverpool v Manchester United - 3.30pm
Burnley v West Ham United - 6pm
Crystal Palace v Chelsea - 6pm
Manchester City v Stoke City - 6pm
Swansea City v Huddersfield Town - 6pm
Tottenham Hotspur v Bournemouth - 6pm
Watford v Arsenal - 8.30pm
Sunday
Brighton and Hove Albion v Everton - 4.30pm
Southampton v Newcastle United - 7pm
Monday
Leicester City v West Bromwich Albion - 11pm
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- Con Coughlin: Choice of the British people will be vindicated
- Sam Williams: Departure is influenced by its sense of place
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Transmission Six-speed gearbox
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Director: Brady Corbet
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Rating: 3.5/5
What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
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The bio
Studied up to grade 12 in Vatanappally, a village in India’s southern Thrissur district
Was a middle distance state athletics champion in school
Enjoys driving to Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah with family
His dream is to continue working as a social worker and help people
Has seven diaries in which he has jotted down notes about his work and money he earned
Keeps the diaries in his car to remember his journey in the Emirates
