Environment
New Thinking
NZ safe from radiation, say experts
World weather patterns will shield New Zealand from radiation spewed out of the stricken nuclear power station in Japan, says GNS Science.
Scientists look at new plants to reduce emissions
AgResearch scientists are looking at whether farmers might be able to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by growing high-yielding pasture plants with a lower nitrogen content.
Whatever happened to the ozone hole?
This year’s ozone hole season is “slow to kick in,” says NIWA atmospheric scientist, Dr Olaf Morgenstern. In New Zealand the official ozone hole season starts in the second week of September and runs through to November.
NIWA launches biggest-ever scientific air quality campaign
NIWA is looking at the long-term effects of motorways and wood smoke on air quality
Methane research is ballooning
AgResearch scientists are using water balloons to measure sheep burps as part of research into methane emissions.
Research farm aims to lower carbon emissions
AgResearch hopes to show dairy farmers how to reduce carbon emissions on their farms by experimenting with farm inputs on its new $6.5 million dairy research farm at Tokanui.
Farm emissions research will need contributions from farmers
AgResearch's former head of climate and environment, Harry Clark, who is setting up the new The Government's new Centre for Agriculture Greenhouse Gas Research, said he would be looking to industry for support beyond its current $50m taxpayer-funding over the next 10 years for the Pastoral Greenhouse Gas Research Consortium.
Dogs and ducks contaminating Avon River
An Environment Canterbury-commissioned report, undertaken by ESR, highlights two main sources of faecal contaminants in Christchurch’s Avon River.
'Water footprint' as pressing as carbon dioxide emissions
According to Plant and Food Research - if you want to be environmentally chic you need to be concerned about your water footprint.
NIWA purchases supercomputer
The National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research (NIWA) is buying one of the world's most powerful supercomputers for environmental forecasting.
New Science
City lights, bright nights
The world is more brightly lit now than ever before, spilling light pollution out into the night skies, with the glows on the horizon becoming progressively whiter and brighter.
Setting standards for a safer environment
Without standards our lives would be chaotic. Developing and revising standards is a continual process at Scion as new technologies and products become available, with many of our scientists actively engaged in national and international standards committees for such things as wood preservatives, biodegradability, packaging, freshwater and biosecurity measures.
GM grass trial aims to cut cows' gas
A plan to grow paddocks of genetically modified grass created to cut the greenhouse gases produced by cows is in the pipeline at Crown-owned company AgResearch.
New carbon footprinting project underway
An ambitious new project to establish a standardised approach to measuring Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions for one of the country’s leading export industries is about to begin.
Moa research takes big step forward
Landcare Research scientists Dr Jamie Wood and Dr Janet Wilmshurst along with Professor Alan Cooper and Mr Trevor Worthy at the University of Adelaide aim to learn more of the diets of moa and other large extinct birds and the effect their snacking had on our ecology
Doom for Algal Bloom?
An innovative solution to a billion-dollar problem has been successfully trialled by Scion. A modified form of zeolite, a natural volcanic mineral, looks set to be a new tool in the campaign to mitigate the effects of nutrient run-off in New Zealand's lakes and waterways.
A gnawing question answered?
Radiocarbon dating of Pacific rat (kiore) bones and rat–gnawed native seeds have provided compelling new evidence into the timing of New Zealand
No Environmental Impact from Genetically Modified Research Trees
Results from New Zealand's most comprehensive, independent scientific field trial of genetically modified trees support the argument that GM trees are low-risk and can be safely introduced into the environment, with no negative effects on other organisms.
Scion sheds light on insect control
Most people turn off the lights to keep creepy critters away. But Scion is turning them on. The Crown Research Institute is trialling yellow lighting systems as a means of repelling insects, research which could reduce the need for methyl bromide treatments at wood processing sites.
Solving the P problem
New Value
Unlocking Curious Minds contestable fund
GNS Science has won a total of $127,000 for three projects in the 2016 round of the government's Unlocking Curious Minds contestable fund
Our Land and Water National Science Challenge launched
Enhancing New Zealand's primary sector economic contributions while improving our environment is the aim of the newest National Science Challenge
ESR scientists monitoring North Korean nuclear test
ESR scientists are monitoring the Pacific for airborne radioactivity resulting from yesterday’s underground nuclear event detected in North Korea.
A world first as Arabian Adventures receives CEMARS certification
Arabian Adventures, a division of the Emirates GroupEmirates Group and the region's leading Destination Management Company (DMC), has been awarded the internationally recognised Certified Emissions Measurement And Reduction Scheme (CEMARS) certification by Landcare Research.
Scion makes waste pay
Scion, the Rotorua-based Crown Research Institute, will be highlighting practical technologies at this year’s Fieldays. Two of those technologies convert waste to profit.
Discovery paves way for industrial use of carbon capture technology
Industrial Research Ltd (IRL) has made a breakthrough that enables the world’s most efficient carbon dioxide capture technology to become commercially viable.
Winning Waikato scientist Saving New Zealand estuaries
Research into the sustainable management of New Zealand estuaries and coastal waters has earned Malcolm Green of NIWA the Environmental Science Award at the 2009 Kudos Awards.
Sustainability Awards for science leader
Landcare Research has received two awards for sustainability on the same night but in different parts of the country.
Software solution to help farmers meet Kyoto
A smart software solution developed by MAF, AgResearch and FertResearch will enable farmers across the country to accurately estimate their greenhouse gas emissions and help New Zealand comply with its obligations under the Kyoto Protocol.
Rain puts dampener on Scion's experimental burns
Whilst most of New Zealand has been praying for rain this summer, Scion's fire researchers have had more than their fair share of it. Experimental burns taking place on Mount Torlesse in Canterbury have been plagued by bad weather, but despite this, useful information has been collected to help in the fight against wildfires.
