Scientists have been researching Antarctica since the days of the first explorers, drawn by the extreme environment, unique species and pristine nature of the continent.
These days, a major focus of Antarctic research is how the continent and its ecosystems will be impacted by climate change, and how those changes will influence the rest of the planet. Changes in Antarctica will drive global sea level rise, ocean circulation and weather patterns.
The Aotearoa New Zealand Antarctic and Southern Ocean Research Directions and Priorities 2021-2030 document establishes themes and priorities for New Zealand Antarctic science. It focuses on four key research areas:
For a small country, the science effort that New Zealand produces is impressive. Our initiative, ingenuity and boldness sees New Zealand leading the way in Antarctic research at a global level.
We facilitate the research of New Zealand scientists and their international collaborators in Antarctica. We are focused on delivering a science programme that is high quality and has a high impact with the scientific community, policy makers and the public. New Zealand’s Antarctic researchers are working hard to tackle the big questions relating to climate change. The answers to these questions will help us to navigate our way into the future.
Working Together
New Zealand’s research efforts in Antarctica are becoming increasingly collaborative, both within the New Zealand scientific community, and at a global level through the involvement of international scientists. There has been a shift towards projects that bring together research teams with multiple areas of expertise, and New Zealand draws on logistical support from other national Antarctic programmes.
Collaborative and multidisciplinary approaches are vital for us to address the big science questions relating to climate change on the continent.
Much of the science that is conducted in and on Antarctica provides valuable guidance for policy and management. We facilitate and encourage dialogue between scientists and policy makers to ensure scientific efforts are delivering robust and useful information wherever possible.
Lorde has put her money where her mouth is and donated $120,000 to climate change science in Antarctica. The singer, whose real name is Ella Yelich-O’Connor, visited Antarctica in 2019 with the Antarctica New Zealand Community En… Read More
GPS-based technology is helping researchers to learn more about Antarctica’s majestic emperor penguins’ feeding patterns as part of efforts to protect the species from environmental threats. Birds at the Cape Crozier emperor colo… Read More
A team of international scientists will head back to Antarctica this month to try and unlock the carbon secrets of the McMurdo Dry Valleys. In an international collaboration with Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volca… Read More