Climate
New Thinking
Rain a gauge of building needs
Years of research by NIWA into extreme weather patterns has led to the development of a database that will assist engineers to know how much rain they should allow for, when designing structures across New Zealand.
Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Heats Up
The New Zealand Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre is at the heart of a Global Research Alliance backed by over 20 countries such as USA and India. The GRA recently met in Wellington to define structure, governance and funding. CRIs, including AgResearch and Landcare Research, are playing lead roles.
NZ scientists to gather data for Disaster Plan
Geologists from GNS Science will spend the next six months collecting information on buildings and infrastructure in Pacific Island countries to measure vulnerability and risk from earthquakes and cyclones in the southwest Pacific.
NIWA to put temperature data on web
The country's climate forecaster is bowing to public pressure and putting all of its temperature data and calculations on the internet because of mistrust fuelled by errors overseas.
Methane research is ballooning
AgResearch scientists are using water balloons to measure sheep burps as part of research into methane emissions.
NIWA stands by its statement on methane rise
The statement made by NIWA Principal Scientist, Dr Keith Lassey in a TV3 news story on 22 Dec 2009 about methane is correct.
Greenhouse gas methane on the rise again
The concentration of methane in the atmosphere is rising, according to measurements made by NIWA.
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.
Seabed drilling probes sea level change
An international team of 33 scientists, including some from GNS Science, will spend the next two months drilling beneath the seabed off the Canterbury coast in a bid to pin down the link between climate and sea level changes over the last 35 million years.
Seasonal Climate Outlook July-September 2009
Rainfall is expected to be normal or above normal over the north and east of the North Island, and in Canterbury, over the next three month period, according to the latest outlook from NIWA’s National Climate Centre.
New Science
Divergent trends in land and ocean temperature in the Southern Ocean
Landcare Research scientists believe climate variations thousands of years ago over Campbell Island may shed light on the future climate of New Zealand.
Man with a mission
How fast is the earth’s climate changing and where do greenhouse gases go? Dr David Crisp is a man with a mission. He is the principal investigator of the Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO) mission at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory and is working with NIWA, and scientists worldwide to unlock these mysteries.
Collaboration to cut world’s GHG emissions
Five CRIs, two universities, and sector partners are working to put New Zealand’s world leading science at the service of the global climate change challenge. PM John Key opens the New Zealand Greenhouse Gas Research Centre at the AgResearch Grasslands campus.
NZ's temperatures have risen 1degC since 1931
NIWA scientists say that the analysis of long-term measurements from seven weather stations showing warming was backed up by other observations, including measurements from ships.
Warming through past century unequivocal
NIWA’s analysis of measured temperatures uses internationally accepted techniques, including making adjustments for changes such as movement of measurement sites.
US jet tests gas levels in sweep of NZ atmosphere
US scientists swooped over New Zealand yesterday to measure greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere. The data will be used to calibrate past and future measurements by the NIWA at its Lauder site in Central Otago.
Emissions reduction still Plan A
Geoengineering - or large-scale intervention in the Earth's climate system - remains Plan B, says benchmark Report.
'Holy Grail' of greenhouse gas capture?
This Radio NZ interview with IRL's Robert Holt and Susan Edwards discusses promising new research into methods for the sequestering of carbon.
Scientists to drill for ice cores in Southern Alps glaciers
Scientists from three countries will camp out high in Mt Cook National Park for the next three weeks collecting ice cores from glaciers for climate research.
Cyclone Bola still making its mark after 21 years
The effects of Cyclone Bola are still with the East Coast of the North Island, according to NIWA scientists
New Value
NZ’s leading greenhouse gas certification scheme available in Australia
Landcare Research has signed an exciting licensing partnership with Bureau Veritas, the world's leading independent certification body, to provide the highly successful CEMARS® (Certified Emissions Measurement And Reduction Scheme) certification to selected clients in Australia.
Predicting success with NIWA supercomputer
Kiwis will have better warnings of floods, droughts and storms now a new supercomputer has been switched on – but don't expect the daily weather forecast to improve.
New $3m accelerator a vital asset to NZ science
A new $3.4 million accelerator mass spectrometer, recently opened at GNS Science represents a major step forward in helping New Zealand understand climate change and its possible impacts.
carboNZero programme rolls out the green carpet
With 8 million tonnes of greenhouse gases (GHG) under management, 170,000 tonnes of GHG offsets undertaken, 275 certifications issued, 250+ organisations contracted to become certified, and international licences in place, the carboNZero programme is without doubt a true New Zealand success story.
Carbon measurement a growth industry
Crown Research Institute Landcare says its carboNZero programme for the reduction and mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions is now actively managing 5.57 million tonnes of carbon dioxide -- equivalent to 7 percent of the nation's greenhouse gas inventory.
New alliance boosts Antarctic and climate research
The number of New Zealand organisations comprising the Joint Antarctic Research Institute has risen to three with Crown Research Institute NIWA joining Victoria University and GNS Science in the alliance.
International accreditation for CarboNZero programme
Landcare Research´s carboNZero programme has become the first greenhouse gas certification scheme in the world to receive international accreditation under the auspices of the International Accreditation Forum (IAF).
carboNZeroCertTM programme ranked No.1
Consumers searching Carbon Catalog (www.carboncatalog.org) for the most transparent carbon offset provider in Australasia will find Landcare Research’s carboNZero programme at the very top of the list.
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.
Nobel Peace Prize contribution honoured
A climate change expert at Scion has been honoured by the IPCC for his work that helped it jointly win the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize. Dr Peter Beets researches forest carbon stocks and land use change.
