- Hon Dr Shane Reti
The Government is investing in Antarctic research to better understand changes on the icy continent and how they could affect New Zealand, Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Dr Shane Reti announced today.
"What happens in Antarctica matters to us here in New Zealand," Dr Reti says.
"For example, as Antarctic ice melts, sea levels rise, which increases the risk of coastal erosion and flooding - threatening Kiwi homes and communities."
First established through Budget 2017, the Antarctic Science Platform has been leading important research like modelling ice sheets to better predict sea-level rise. This information helps New Zealand prepare for and respond to future climate challenges.
In a second tranche of funding, the Government will invest another $49 million over the next seven years to keep this critical work going.
Dr Reti says it's the Government's largest investment in Antarctic research and will help New Zealand collaborate with international partners like the United States, Italy, and South Korea, who have research bases near Scott Base.
"As a founding Party to the Antarctic Treaty and one of only five gateways to the southernmost continent, New Zealand is committed to preserving and protecting Antarctica and the Southern Ocean for present and future generations," says Dr Reti.
"What happens in Antarctica affects us all. This investment will help us better understand and prepare for climate change impacts, protect our communities, and support economic growth through stronger science and innovation."
Notes for editors:
The Antarctic Science Platform's objective is to conduct excellent science to understand Antarctica's impact on the global earth system and how this might change in a +2˚ C (Paris agreement) world. It has four priorities:
- Understanding the stability of the West Antarctic ice sheet
- Understanding the impacts of change in the Antarctic atmosphere and Southern Ocean
- Understanding threats to ecosystem dynamics in the Ross Sea
- Understanding change in terrestrial and nearshore Antarctic environments, and the connections between them.
- What are the critical signposts of catastrophic climate change and how can they be effectively observed to support timely mitigation?
- What are the drivers and potential implications of unprecedented change in the Ross Sea and Southern Ocean?
- What are the critical vulnerabilities of Antarctica's ice sheets and glaciers, and what are the implications of likely increased melt?
Over the next seven years, the Antarctic Science Platform seeks to build on their previous work, but with a strategic shift based on extensive consultation with Antarctic researchers and stakeholders, to understand:
