Top UAE official calls for adoption of AI to help predict weather risks

A top UAE official has called for the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in predicting weather risks. Current data capabilities must be enhanced to ensure effective disaster management, he said.

“We in the UAE have experienced difficult weather conditions this year that have not occurred in the past 75 years,” said Dr Saif Jumaa Al Dhaheri, director of the National Operations Centre of the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA).

He was referring to the unprecedented rains and flooding that swept over the UAE in April this year. It was the heaviest rainfall on record in the country. “We didn’t anticipate the infrastructure's capacity to absorb this water. If we had this information, we would have been able to prepare better.”

Addressing the 'Regional Data and Community Development Forum' in Sharjah on Thursday, Dr Al Dhaheri stressed that the UAE is working in many aspects of infrastructure and the use of technologies that contribute to prevention before risks occur.

“Data makes a significant difference between ideal response and prediction, as well as rapid recovery,” he explained.

Dr Al Dhaheri warned that future crises would be increasingly complex and recurrent due to climate change.

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While the UAE currently possesses advanced tools, he highlighted the need to address rapid developments in AI. He pointed to global shortcomings in predicting severe weather events. “This reflects the challenges all countries face,” he noted.

He also reflected on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, labelling it “the crisis of the century,” and emphasised that data utilisation has been crucial in managing such complex situations.

The UAE has made strides in leveraging data through initiatives like the Al Hosn app, positioning the country as a leader in crisis management. “We need to adopt many AI technologies for risk prediction and ensure we have data regarding food and supplies for residents during these risks,” Dr Al Dhaheri said.

Dr Debarati Guha-Sapir, Professor (Epidemiology of Disasters and Civil Conflicts), School of Public Health University of Louvain, Brussels and Johns Hopkins University,USA, discussed the historical context of natural disasters. “About 20 years ago, natural disasters were often viewed as God-given misfortunes,” she remarked.

“In the last two decades, the climate movement has changed this perspective, with climate disasters now comprising nearly 90 per cent of all disasters.”

She elaborated on the types of climate-related disasters that plague the Middle East, including floods, storms, droughts, and extreme temperatures, noting that these issues are not confined to single countries.