Science Media Centre

 Australian scientists have  released a new report on climate change in the Pacific detailing rising sea levels, increasing temperatures andincreases in ocean acidity with  drastic implications for coral-based eco-systems from hitting home in less than 40 years. “The Pacific is getting hotter, sea-levels are rising, rainfall is changing, and equatorial winds have weakened,” said researcher, [...]

The revised emissions trading scheme (ETS) passed into law last November comes into effect today, 1 July. The scheme represents a first attempt to price carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions into the economy, in a bid to reduce emissions growth. New Zealand emissions have grown by over 20% above 1990 levels, which are [...]

NASA and NIWA scientists are to cooperate on a $375 million project to better understand how fast greenhouse gases enter and leave the atmosphere. An excerpt: (read in full here) “The satellite, to be launched by February 2013, would pick up data from 15 measurement stations around the world, Dr Crisp said. “The New Zealand [...]

The first major study to look at the carbon footprint of lamb shows that each 100 gram portion of New Zealand lamb exported to Europe creates 1.9kg of CO2 equivalents and that 80 per cent of that footprint is generated on the farm. The study by Agresearch scientists suggests the large on-farm component is “broadly [...]

An article in the Dominion Post looks at the work being done by NIWA research scientist Vanessa Sherlock. Dr Sherlock is contributing to a new, global project which aims to take more accurate measurements of atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations, with the aim of better understanding of the movement of these gases into and out of [...]

The Australian Science Media Centre rounded up questions on climate science from journalists and put them to leading scientists in the field. Below is the resulting Q&A. 1) There has been conflicting messages about warming in recent years – is it or is it not getting warmer? Professor Steven Sherwood, Climate Change Research Centre at [...]

Tuangane Matangi reports, in the Otago Daily Times, on a new technology which enables scientists to measure nitrous oxides emissions from paddocks more easily and cost-effectively. The technology, developed by AgResearch, allows gas samples to be taken from grass in paddocks without the need for manual, on site sampling.  Instead, closed chambers are placed on [...]

University of Canterbury experts say planting new forests, boosting sequestration in existing forests and increasing the use of wood as a construction material will be essential to reducing New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions. The researchers were commenting on the Ministry of Economic Development’s GHG emissions update released last week, which showed that New Zealand’s total [...]