Bertrand Piccard dedicated his first Solar Impulse 2 test flight on Monday to Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.

Mr Piccard, Solar Impulse co-founder and pilot, said the Crown Prince had supported the project since its beginnings.

About 1,000 ghaf trees will be planted by children across the country in a scheme run by Dubai Municipality, Middle East hotel operator Accor and environmental portal Goumbook.

The reforestation plan will be launched this month as part of the Plant for the Planet Campaign, which will support Goumbook’s Give a Ghaf Tree initiative.

Forecasters have issued a weather warning saying winds are stirring up dust and sand, creating poor conditions on the country’s roads.

The National Centre of Meteorology and Seismology (NCMS) said the weather will reduce visibility and has urged motorists to be cautious while driving.

The NCMS called on drivers to reduce speed and leave enough space between vehicles.

A tropical rainforest is set to be created in Dubai as part of a luxury housing development.

The Dubai Rainforest, described as an educational and cultural dome, will be housed within Damac Properties’ Akoya Oxygen master community and is slated to be completed ahead of Expo 2020.

It is designed to recreate the natural environment of rainforests, which cover 6 per cent of the world’s surface, said the developer.