News

6/4/2013

Nancy Bertler and her team took a freezer to the coldest place on Earth, endured weeks of primitive living and risked spending the winter in Antarctic darkness, to obtain ice that records our climate's past that could point to its future.  The ice shelf acts as a natural barrier protecting massive amounts of ice in West Antarctica, and that ice also could fall into the ocean if the shelf fell apart. Scientists say West Antarctica holds enough ice to raise sea levels by between 2 metres and 6 metres if significant parts of it were to collapse.  More.

3/4/2013 

Interviewed by 95bFM's Georgia Moselen-Sloog today NZARI (New Zealand Antarctic Institute) Director, Professor Gary Wilson, says New Zealand's economy is largely reliant on the environment. The establishment and focus of NZARI on Antarctica and the Southern Ocean is largely attributable to concerns about the environment.  There is potential for Antarctica to directly affect New Zealand's environment which needs to be better understood by focussing research effort on understanding the continent's reaction to global warming and its effect on New Zealand. These issues are of global interest but New Zealand is well placed to conduct this important research. Link to audio.

31/3/2013

Radio NZ's Environment Reporter, Olivia Wix, explores New Zealand's changing role on the ice, and whether it can continue to be a key player. Link to audio.

28/3/2013

The Minister for Foreign Affairs says the government will do everything possible to ensure plans for the world's largest marine protected area go ahead.  Link to audio.

14/3/2013

The New Zealand Defence Force's summer season support to the Antarctic region has drawn to a close with the final RNZAF Boeing 757 ice flight.  Link to video.