NIWA has launched a $5 million per year package of new projects aiming to tackle some of New Zealand’s most pressing
challenges, including responding to and preparing for extreme weather events.
NIWA already undertakes extensive research in forecasting, climate change and extreme weather, natural hazards,
atmospheric science and Māori environmental research. This new investment will allow NIWA to double down on efforts in
these areas.
The new package includes an additional $2.3 million per year for extreme weather-related research, including forecasting
impacts from extreme weather and also to support climate change resilient infrastructure development.
An additional $1.85 million per year has been allocated to work with Māori on climate adaptation and to better deliver
NIWA science to iwi/hapu and Māori businesses. NIWA is also investing in new projects to fast-track solar and wind
forecasts for renewable energy production and to measure and verify agricultural greenhouse gas emission reductions.
"Following Cyclone Gabrielle and other extreme weather events in early 2023, NIWA urgently reprioritised some of our
research to gather data in the immediate aftermath and to help affected communities recover from these events. This was
complemented shortly afterwards by additional government funding to expedite our research into flood prediction and
hazard risk assessment," says NIWA Chief Executive John Morgan.
"These new investments will accelerate our efforts to increase New Zealand’s ability to respond to and prepare for
future extreme weather events. As we have seen across the world in recent years, some of the biggest impacts of climate
change have been increases in extreme weather events - such as storms, floods, droughts and wildfires.
"We know that such extreme events are going to become more frequent and more intense, and we need to be better prepared.
Advanced, high-precision forecasts that link different hazards, such as rainfall with river flooding, will help all New
Zealanders - including iwi, emergency managers, government, councils and the public - to face the challenges our
changing climate brings," says Mr Morgan.Notes
The funding for these new projects is coming from NIWA’s Strategic Science Investment Fund (SSIF). This is government
funding that focuses on research programmes and scientific infrastructure that have long-term beneficial impact on New
Zealand’s health, economy, environment and society. Each year NIWA re-evaluates how its SSIF is best used.
Some of the current NIWA research in this area: https://niwa.co.nz/natural-hazards/research-projects/responding-to-and-preparing-for-extreme-weather-events-niwa-led-research.