Jakarta –
The government did weather modification to to overcome air pollution which threatens a number of areas in Indonesia, especially in Jabodetabek. This method is not only done by Indonesia, several countries have also done the same thing.
China and India, for example, have tried to bring down rain when the weather was dry and air pollution was so severe. Here are the experiences of China and India in dispelling pollution with artificial rain.
China Modifies Weather For Clear Skies
On July 1, 2021, the Chinese Communist Party marked its 100th anniversary with a grand celebration involving tens of thousands of people in a ceremony in Tiananmen Square. A research paper from Tsinghua University said an extensive cloud-seeding operation several hours earlier had been successful in ensuring clear skies and minimal air pollution.
Quoted from The GuardiansTuesday (29/8/2023) the Chinese government is very supportive of cloud seeding technology and is willing to spend billions of yuan in attempts to manipulate the weather, in order to protect agricultural areas or make important events successful including the 2008 Olympics and the Chinese Communist Party’s birthday celebrations.
The findings of Tsinghua’s study provide scientific evidence for the success of this technology. Other countries are also investing in weather modification technology, but China is pouring in more money though there are still questions about its effectiveness, and debate over whether manipulating the weather in one area can interfere with weather systems in another.
Celebrations of the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party face the challenge of unexpected air pollution and a smoky sky. Factories and other polluting activities have been halted in the days leading up to the event, but the stream of pollution has not disappeared.
A two-hour cloud-seeding operation was launched the night before the ceremony, and residents in nearby mountainous areas reported seeing rockets fired into the sky. The newspaper said the rockets carried silver iodine into the sky to stimulate rainfall.
The researchers said the resulting artificial rain reduced PM2.5 air pollutant levels by more than two-thirds, and changed the air quality index from ‘moderate’ to ‘good’ based on WHO standards.
India Cleans Delhi’s Dirty Air
In 2018, authorities in Delhi, India used cloud seeding technology to alleviate the deteriorating situation in the nation’s Capital City. According to media reports, the attempt was made on the orders of the Indian Meteorological Department, India’s national space agency ISRO, CPCB and IIT Kanpur.
Cloud seeding involves changing the amount and type of precipitation that falls from clouds by dispersing substances into the air. This technology has been used by more than 50 countries for various reasons. China has often used it, one of which was when controlling the smog that enveloped Beijing.
There is no report on the success rate of Delhi’s weather modifications to reduce air pollution at that time. But as quoted from BusinessTodayit was stated that after discussions with scientists, the authorities decided to use weather modification if the situation worsened, that is, if the air quality index reached 400-500.
Delhi’s poor air quality makes the local government try various ways to overcome it. Earlier in 2016, the Delhi Municipal government tried to explore the possibility of cloud seeding for artificial rainbut the plan was never successful.
Then in 2017, the local government proposed the possibility of reducing dust by spraying Delhi from helicopters to Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan.
Watch Video “Called Will Reduce Jakarta Pollution, Here’s How Weather Modification Works“
[Gambas:Video 20detik]
(rns/fay)
