Dry countries in the Middle East and Africa should look to new technology for a reliable water supply, a UAE minister said.
Dr Thani Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, said building desalination plants and a cloud-seeding strategy helped the UAE to address water challenges and called on other nations to plan ahead to avoid cities running dry.
Speaking at the World Economic Forum on the Middle East and North Africa, in Jordan, Dr Al Zeyoudi gave the example of Cape Town in South Africa, which last year was forced to take drastic measures to preserve water.
It narrowly averted a scenario in which taps were to be turned off and residents would have to queue for a daily ration.
It's either that we build desalination or we just pray to God that the rain is going to come some day, which is not the right approach
“Cape Town last year was about to announce that it was going to be out of water,” said Dr Al Zeyoudi, a former reservoir engineer, during a discussion about environmental stewardship in the Arab world.
“But they were lucky that they had that water at the end of the season, which saved the nation.
“They did not plan the right way. It’s the same case for so many cities and countries in our region. They know it’s going to be a challenge but we don’t think outside the box.
“It’s either that we are close to the sea and we build desalination or we just pray to God that the rain is going to come some day, which is not the right approach.”
New technology, such as machines that can turn humid air into water, should be looked at as well as cloud seeding, he said.
The UAE is increasing its use of cloud seeding, a method in which planes inject salt flares into clouds to try to cause a reaction that will lead to more rainfall.
Despite mitigation strategies, the UAE still faces challenges, with some predicting that Abu Dhabi is set to run out of fresh water within 50 years.
Climate change is set to add to pressure on water supplies, with droughts partly responsible for the crisis in Cape Town.
Some researchers have warned that "water wars" will be waged in future, as populations grow and water becomes more scarce.
Dr Al Zeyoudi also revealed that a major initiative in the UAE to clamp down on single-use plastics is to be announced within weeks.
He called on world leaders to take responsibility for playing their part in delivering international environmental targets, such as the Paris climate agreement and the UN's sustainable development goals, even as some global leaders question climate change.
“In the field of climate change and environment, we need leaders,” Dr Al Zeyoudi said.
“For us as governments, we want to ensure that the air we breathe is healthy, that the water we supply is going to be safe, that the soil and food we provide has the highest standards and is as healthy as possible.
“It’s a responsibility and we have to start implementation. Otherwise we will meet again in 2020 or 2030 and will be in the same place. We have to roll up our sleeves and start.”
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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TO A LAND UNKNOWN
Director: Mahdi Fleifel
Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa
Rating: 4.5/5
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
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- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Key facilities
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- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
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- 600-seat auditorium
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When Umm Kulthum performed in Abu Dhabi
Known as The Lady of Arabic Song, Umm Kulthum performed in Abu Dhabi on November 28, 1971, as part of celebrations for the fifth anniversary of the accession of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan as Ruler of Abu Dhabi. A concert hall was constructed for the event on land that is now Al Nahyan Stadium, behind Al Wahda Mall. The audience were treated to many of Kulthum's most well-known songs as part of the sold-out show, including Aghadan Alqak and Enta Omri.
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
If you go...
Etihad flies daily from Abu Dhabi to Zurich, with fares starting from Dh2,807 return. Frequent high speed trains between Zurich and Vienna make stops at St. Anton.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Company profile
Name: Back to Games and Boardgame Space
Started: Back to Games (2015); Boardgame Space (Mark Azzam became co-founder in 2017)
Founder: Back to Games (Mr Azzam); Boardgame Space (Mr Azzam and Feras Al Bastaki)
Based: Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Industry: Back to Games (retail); Boardgame Space (wholesale and distribution)
Funding: Back to Games: self-funded by Mr Azzam with Dh1.3 million; Mr Azzam invested Dh250,000 in Boardgame Space
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The biog
Born: Kuwait in 1986
Family: She is the youngest of seven siblings
Time in the UAE: 10 years
Hobbies: audiobooks and fitness: she works out every day, enjoying kickboxing and basketball
Founder: Ayman Badawi
Date started: Test product September 2016, paid launch January 2017
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Software
Size: Seven employees
Funding: $170,000 in angel investment
Funders: friends
More on animal trafficking
Infiniti QX80 specs
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Tell Me Who I Am
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Four stars
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Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
