Climate
New Thinking
Scientists to test Wellington wind
A team of scientists from GNS Science and NIWA are about to test what makes Wellington so windy and how an area's geography affects the level of wind.
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.
NIWA scientists travel To flood-stricken Australia
NIWA scientists are heading for Brisbane. They will join Geosciences Australia in assessing the impacts of the devastating floods that recently hit eastern Australia.
Convict ship logs give insights into climate science
Weather data salvaged from the diaries of a Northland missionary and Australian first-fleet ships' logs is being used by NIWA scientists in an international effort to improve understanding of climate science.
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.
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.
New Science
Antarctic ozone hole: smallest in five years
Analysis from NIWA's ozone research shows that the Antarctic ozone hole is smaller this year than any of the previous five years.
NZ study pinpoints the final cold snap of the last ice age
A geological study of glaciers in the South Island by GNS Science has finally resolved a long-standing debate about the demise of the last ice age in New Zealand.
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
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.
New Value
Palm trees thrived in Antarctica 52 million years ago
Balmy tropical temperatures and frost-sensitive vegetation prevailed on the coast of Antarctica 52 million years ago, according to a study of drill cores from under the seafloor off the coast of Antarctica.
Smartphones used to fight wildfires
Spades and hoses are not the only things that rural firefighters can use to fight wildfires; thanks to Crown Research Institute Scion, they can also use their smartphones.
NIWA weather modelling research aims to improve accuracy
NIWA’s weather prediction model simulated the intense rainfall which fell just north of the capital, and flooded parts of Porirua, on Sunday 27 March. Thirty nine millimetres of rain fell in less than an hour, around 1.00pm.
NIWA to predict extreme weather with $13M computer
The National Institute of Water and Atmospheric research is trialling new technology in an effort to insure New Zealanders can be ready for extreme weather conditions.
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
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.
