News

Today we announce that our Processes & Observations programme lead, Adrian McDonald, is stepping down from our Science Leadership Team. We thank him for his calm and warm leadership over the last two and a half years. In this Q&A (taken from our recently published magazine Kia Urutau | Adapt), we asked Adrian about the role of climate modelling in supporting good adaptation in Aotearoa New Zealand.

I MEET PETER INSLEY on a low promontory that rests above the Hāparapara River. Kids have built a rickety jumping platform in the pūriri and mānuka above us, but the water below – blue and glistening – looks treacherous. It’s hard to gauge the depth or see the snags. The river has always behaved like this. It beelines out of the hills and hits this hard rock, pooling and gathering before sweeping off again towards Omaio Bay in the Eastern Bay of Plenty.

IT’S A CALM SUNDAY morning as I arrive at the home of Wellington property investor Paul Robinson, in the thriving beachside community of Plimmerton. Armed with muffins from the local café, I’m greeted by Paul’s friendly border collie Harry, who herds me into a stunning, carefully designed house.

From Monday 6 May to Wednesday 8 May 2019, we held our conference at the Maritime Room on Auckland's waterfront. If you missed it, or you want to revisit a particular session or panel, you can catch up on our website now.

At our conference earlier in May, we were delighted to announce that Lincoln University economist Anita Wreford has joined the Deep South Challenge team, as our  Impacts and Implications programme lead. In this profile, one of ten "adaptation champion" interviews reprinted from our new magazine Kia Urutau | Adapt, Anita Wreford talks about her vision for a "well-adapted" Aotearoa New Zealand

It’s hard to believe the time that has passed since participants met in Wellington to share ideas and experiences about communicating climate change. For the Challenge engagement team, it feels like yesterday. We're pleased to be able to bring those of you who couldn't be there a vibrant report of the event, which was captured in live illustration, photography, audio, by scribe and later, in evaluations.

We have some big announcements about the Deep South Challenge team. We're saying "Hello and welcome!" to our new Challenge Manager, Anne-Marie Rowe. We're also saying a sad farewell to our Impacts and Implications Programme Leader, Andrew Tait (at the same as offering him our congratulations for the huge role he's stepping into as NIWA's Chief Scientist - Climate, Atmosphere & Hazards). Andrew's decision means we are now also seeking applications to this role. Please read on for more information.

We're now seeking expressions of interest for the role of Science Leadership Team (SLT) member for the Impacts & Implications Programme of the Deep South Challenge: Changing with our Climate. Deadline is 5pm, Wednesday 10 April 2019, so get your applications in quickly.

In the first of our Deep South Challenge seminars for 2019, we hear from Lisa Ellis and Catherine Iorns, researchers from different fields, both looking at the question of who should fund climate adaptation.