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Wednesday, 28 March 2007
Erin Delahunty
MEMBER for Mallee John Forrest has called for Australia to host an international symposium on cloud seeding - the controversial science of artifically inducing clouds to produce rain.
Mr Forrest, a leading and passionate proponent of cloud seeding, told the House of Representatives on Monday many Australian scientists had closed their minds to the concept. He said debate was needed on the topic.
"Cloud seeding is not obscure science, as many are hasty to assert," he said.
"Cloud physicists all agree it is possible to modify the microphysics of clouds by seeding them with silver iodine and that you can have an immediate influence on the precipitation outcome for that particular cloud - they all agree," he said.
Mr Forrest said many countries around the world continued to invest heavily in cloud seeding research, while in Australia it had not been enthusiastically embraced by the scientific community.
He said the situation was ironic, given Australia had led the world in the area in the post-war era.
"We invented the equipment that is now being used around the world and we wrote the textbooks on which many of the cloud-seeding operations around the world base their work."
Mr Forrest said yesterday he had received support from both sides of the House after his Private Member's resolution.
"Two speakers from the government side and two from across the chamber spoke in support of the concept. I was also supported in my push for an international symposium this year, so we can bring international scientists to Australia to argue the case for cloud seeding."
Mr Forrest also called for the creation of an Australian Co-operative Research Centre for Weather Modification, following similiar models overseas.
"I believe the co-operative research centre model is the way to go, where you can get interested players in and those who are participating in cloud- seeding activity," he said.
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| Copyright © 2007. Rural Press Limited |
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