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Land, water, airNew Zealand’s ocean and its future: knowledge, opportunities and management Proceedings of a conference organised by the Royal Society of New Zealand 16 November 2006 Fresh water New Zealand: problems, processes and priorities Proceedings of a conference organised by the Royal Society of New Zealand, at the University of Auckland, 13 and 14 November 2003 New Zealand has strong programmes of research in land, water and air. Here are some of the Royal Society's contributions.
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NewsBelow are the latest news headlines. Full articles are available from this site under the 'News, Events, Policy' heading for RSNZ members only. If you'd like to become a member or would like information on member benefits, click here.27 June 2007: Why Britain is likely to experience more flooding - Monsoon summers, with short but heavy downpours, are predicted by scientists to become a feature of British weather, bringing floods that could cause around one billion pounds worth of extra damage a year 14 May 2007: Empty nets as tide turns on Asia's fishermen - Fish stocks in Asia have declined by 70 percent in the past 25 years, says a non-profit research group 8 May 2007: UN report raises possible negative impacts of biofuels - Says rapid growth in liquid biofuel production will make substantial demands on the world's land and water resources at a time when demand for both food and forest products is also rising rapidly 19 April 2007: Sudden sea level surges threaten 1 billion - study - New mapping techniques show how much land would be lost and how many people affected by rapid sea level rises that are often triggered by storms and earthquakes, a US Geological Survey-led team determined 15 March 2007: Italy spring comes early, ominous for farmers - study - a new study has found that spring is arriving two weeks ahead of time and many plants are flowering 10 to 20 days earlier than usual 7 February 2007: Sleep pillow plus exercise best for neck pain - For chronic neck pain - Canadian research 25 January 2007: Developing nations dig in heels on climate change - Say they won't shoulder full responsibility for a problem created mainly by the rich 23 January 2007: Warm winter brings exotic butterflies to Alps - African and Mediterranean species spotted in Austria's higher alpine region 13 January 2007: Natural causes likely cause of massive landslide - At least half a million cubic metres of rock and debris have buried an alpine lake in Mt Aspiring National Park 10 December 2006: Life thrives at searing sea vent, under ice-report - Finding life in dark waters under thick Antarctic ice boosts theories that planets other than Earth are suitable for life 26 November 2006: Pivotal case on global warming case confronts High Court - The Bush administration will argue before the court on Wednesay against a suit by US groups seeking to have the EPA impose vehicle emissions controls 13 November 2006: Global carbon trading inevitable - Costello - Australian treasurer's comments at odds with views of the Howard government. 2 November 2006: Ocean fish, seafood could collapse by 2048 - study - Researchers found that marine biodiversity has declined dramatically, with 29 percent of species already in collapse 19 October 2006: UN reports growing number of ocean 'dead zones' - Has risen more than a third in the past two years because of fertilizer, sewage, animal waste and fossil-fuel burning. 17 October 2006: Magnitude 5.8 earthquake hits south of New Zealand - Located 266 kilometres west of the sub-Antarctic Auckland Islands - US Geological Survey 5 October 2006: Climate change won't cost - environmental economist - Survey showed 81 percent of Australians favoured increased government action while 65 percent of the NZers held the same view, but not soo keen if it costs them money 28 September 2006: European Commission moves to protect depleted deep-sea fish - Cuts in catches not enough for scientists, who want a ban on some species 25 September 2006: Earth may be at warmest point in 1 million years - Especially in the part of the Pacific Ocean where potentially violent El Nino weather patterns are born, US climate scientists say 21 September 2006: Branson commits $US3 bln to fight global warming - Branson's announcement comes one day after the Bush administration said it was committing $US3 billion to climate technology research and development 20 September 2006: $67 million four-year campaign aimed at lifting physical activity and slashing NZ's growing obesity rates - A new study has calculated the rate of ice loss increased 250 percent between 2004 and 2006 compared with the previous two-year period 11 September 2006: Humans affect sea warming in hurricane zones - study - Lawrence Livermore scientists have compared all available computer models of the Earth's climate to conclude human use of fossil fuels is warming ocean temperatures in areas where Atlantic and Pacific hurricanes form 7 September 2006: Global warming taking earth back to dinosaur era - Not only will carbon dioxide levels be at the highest levels for 24 million years, but global average temperatures will be higher than for up to 10 million years. 14 August 2006: Govt provides $150,000 to kill native sea squirts in mussel zone - To kill colonies of Didemnum vexillum in the Marlborough Sounds. 9 August 2006: Bill to curb greenhouse gases poses dilemma for Schwarzenegger - California Legislature plans to send him a bill this month that would create the first law in the United States capping greenhouse gas emissions from refineries, power plants and other industrial sources. 7 August 2006: New centre to prepare New Zealand for natural disasters - The Wellington-based Joint Centre for Disaster Research brings together psychologists, sociologists, planners, geologists, risk assessors, Maori researchers and economists from Massey University and GNS Science. 6 August 2006: Balloons work with satellite to gauge bad air days - Climate scientists have teamed up a weather balloon with a satellite to measure air quality along a heavily polluted corridor on the US East Coast. 28 July 2006: Get used to killer heat waves - scientist - Day-to-day weather causing latest California heatwave, says NCAR's Kevin Trenberth 28 July 2006: News release: Call for Royal Commission on climate change - Into the science and economics of climate change. 28 July 2006: Anderton promotes new strategy as a sea change for aquaculture - Developing codes of practice for biosecurity, research strategy aimed at improving innovation. 21 July 2006: Seafloor prospector says Kermedecs rich in gold, silver, copper - Expected to accelerate debate over whether mining the sea floor is less intrusive and environmentally destructive than mining on land. 15 June 2006: NW Hawaii becomes world's biggest marine reserve - a marine area greater in size than 46 of the 50 US states will be sheltered from overfishing, while allowing Hawaiians to use the area for traditional purposes. 12 June 2006: Tourist boom poses risk to Antarctic wilderness. Polar scientists meet to discuss how best to manage the growing industry. 12 June 2006: Japan tipped to wrest control of whaling commission - IWC vote Friday expected to be a cliffhanger. 11 June 2006: Concerns raised about moving Hawaii's Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre. NOAA's move to Pearl Harbour questioned. 8 June 2006: Arctic Ocean's ice shrinkage due to warming of sea: study. Warm water from the Pacific Ocean - not atmospheric pressure - responsible for the drastic decline in the ocean's ice from 1997 to 1998. 7 June 2006: Shaking away from epicentre can cause aftershocks - new theory suggests ground-shaking - not static stress - is responsible for aftershocks. 7 June 2006: Scientists set out to discover how dodo died - programme launched to study fossils from a mass grave on the Indian Island of Mauritius, where the bird was believed to have been hunted to extinction in the 17th century. 3 June 2006: Concerns to be raised over road through South Pole. New Zealand scientists join global coalition to lobby for an environmental impact study on the 1600km road that has opened up access between McMurdo Base and the polar plateau. 2 June 2006: Massive ocean vortex found off WA coast - 200km in diameter and 1000m deep - spinning at speeds up to 5kmh off the Rottnest Canyon, is acting as a death trap for fish larvae. 29 May 2006: Indonesia quake may trigger Merapi eruption: Australian scientists at odds over links between earthquakes and volcanic activity. 29 May 2006: China says it's slowing rate of desertification; while the rate has slowed to 3,000 square km a year, more than half a million square km of land is still in need of improvement. 26 May 2006: As jet streams move toward the poles, the tropics broaden reach. Atmospheric warming has pushed the air movement wider causing drier conditions and desert creep in more populated regions of the globe, new satellite measurements show. 24 May 2006: Sydney Water wins international environment prize - awarded the 2006 Stockholm Industry Water Prize for a water management programme that has saved 20 million litres of water per day. 19 May 2006: China faces rising temperatures, shrinking crops - average temperature may rise by 2.8 degrees by 2030 and its crop production could tumble by 10 percent 11 May 2006: $20.5 million budget boost for environement - for cleaning up contaminated sites and for research on biodiversity and biosecurity protection. 5 May 2006: Marine economy worth $3.3 billion a year - study. 3 May 2006: Ozone layer slowly recovering following the introduction of the Montreal Protocol in 1987, banning CFCs. 2 May 2006: NZ scientists show evolution runs faster in warmer climes. Auckland researchers compared 45 tropical plants with those in temperate climates to find the biggest rate of molecular evolution occurred between New Zealand's kauri and the kauri from Borneo. 25 April 2006: Young people address environmental concerns at forum - eight students from around the country have gathered in Wellington to participate in the Sir Peter Blake Youth Forum. 24 April 2006: Polar bears, hippos, freshwater fish threatened with extinction - the number of threaten species now stands at 16,000, up 500 on the IUCN's previous "Red List" published in 2004. 20 April 2006: Huge rivers flow under Antarctica's ice - it was thought the sub-glacial lakes had been completely sealed for millions of years, enabling unique species to evolve in them. 23 March 2006: Shared weather information could improve tsunami warnings. Australia, US sign up to co-operate on Indian Ocean monitoring. 23 March 2006: UN biodiversity meeting embrases eco-friendly city. It is no coincidence that the United Nations chose the southern Brazilian city of Curitiba to host its eighth conference on the Convention on Biological Diversity. 22 March 2006: Environmentally-friendly extraction method discovered. Scientists at Auckland University have successfully used environmentally-friendly vegetable oils to replace toxic chemical solvents like kerosene in the extraction of biomolecules such as antibiotics and organic acids. 8 March 2006: Divers survey Fiordland marine area - data from field work from more than 40 sites will be analysed by Otago University scientists who are working with the Department of Conservation to protect the area's special marine environment. 9 February 2006: Think tank urges US action now on global warming. Pew Centre report recommends 15 steps to reduce emissions 9 February 2006: Less snow in Rockies slows release of CO2 emissions. Reduces ground temperature and slows the release of CO2 microbes in the soil, new research in the journal Nature, reports 9 February 2006: Govt playing games with forest owners as plantings plunge. Commenting on news that plantings of new forest last year hit their lowest level since 1960 9 February 2006: India, China will lead green tech demand - UK report. Will want carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology 9 February 2006: Scientists mount high-tech assault on disaster disease. Experts at Edinburgh University have come up with software to help health chiefs monitor and respond to disease outbreaks which often follow natural disasters 8 February 2006: Outrage over Indonesia plans for palm oil plantation in forest. The proposed plantation would cut a swathe through three national parks across the border between Indonesia and Malaysia 8 February 2006: International Whaling Commission `dysfunctional' – Minister. Conservation Minister, Chris Carter, slams commission at the opening of the annual meeting of the South Pacific Whale Research Consortium 7 February 2006: Mild autumn on the cards, but cyclone possible. 70 percent likelihood of a cyclone affecting the country between now and April - NIWA 7 February 2006: Scientists warn of effects of accelerated warming in Arctic. Alaska forum highlights how vulnerable the region is to global warming 4 February 2006: Global warming boosting Greenland glacier flow. The Kangerdlugssuaq and Helheim glaciers have doubled their rate of flow to the ocean over the past two years, adding fears that Greenland's giant ice sheet is disappearing faster than previously thought 3 February 2006: Study urges action on threatened Africa predators. To save beasts such as the lion, cheetah and Ethiopian wolf from major threats to survival such as hunting and conflict with humans 3 February 2006: HB quake anniversary a reminder of the violence buried under NZ. The 1931 Napier earthquake occurred on a blind thrust fault, a particularly lethal type of geological fault that causes intense shaking 2 February 2006: Greens say disasters worsened by wetland loss. Exacerbating global disasters such as floods and famines and is a potential source of conflict in volatile regions 2 February 2006: China's pollution galvanises peasants to action. After decades of all-out economic growth, China now has 20 of the world's 30 most polluted cities 2 February 2006: More bleaching Great Barrier Reef's latest threat. After four months of warmer sea temperatures, readings were now similar to those experienced between 2001 and 2002 1 February 2006: Mixed bag weather pattern in January. Highest and lowest temperatures recorded in Otago 31 January 2006: Parts of Portugal could become desert. The interior of southern Portugal will be most affected and some tree species will have to migrate north to survive, a new report on the impact of global warming has shown 31 January 2006: Council criticises dairy giant over waste discharges. Otago Regional Council report says the level of inorganic nitrogen introduced to the river at Fonterra's Stirling plant is one of the worst cases of discharge into a freshwater body in New Zealand 31 January 2006: Aust's Great Barrier Reef at risk of mass bleaching: scientists. Coral damage likely to be on a par with an episode in 201-2002 when 60 percent of the reef was affected 31 January 2006: Global warming demands urgent solutions – scientists. "Avoiding Dangerous Climate Change", a book of scientific papers on the global climate crisis, has just been launched in the UK 30 January 2006: Scientists search out truth of NZ's geological history. One of the world's largest scientific research vessels, the RV Marion Dufresne docked in Wellington today ahead of a two week voyage around New Zealand's coastline to investigate climate history and the mechanisms that trigger some of the world's largest submarine avalanches 29 January 2006: New marine protection planning system. Government launches new policy to assess existing protected areas and develop proposals for a new network that aims to have 10 percent of our marine area under some form of protection by 2010 29 January 2006: Asian elephant nations meet to discuss species' survival. IUCN holds meeting in Malayasia to address habitat issues facing the Asian elephant, which is declining faster than its African counterpart 29 January 2006: Climate expert says NASA bids to muzzle him - NY Times. The director of NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies, James Hansen, claims the Bush administration tried to stop him from publicly speaking out on ways to curb greenhouse emissions 26 January 2006: Natives get restless as scientists patent more life forms. Bioprospecting is on the rise as researchers search the corners of the world for alternatives to chemistry-based drugs 26 January 2006: Australia choking on bad air: report. Ranked 94th out of 133 countries for air quality on the Pilot Environmental Performance Index; NZ ranked first 26 January 2006: Global warming may cause sea levels to rise 34 cms by 2100. New study estimates levels would increase between 28cm and 34cm causing increased flooding and coastal erosion 25 January 2006: Last year was warmest in a century, study concludes. Without the El Nino conditions that pushed temperatures to an all-time high in 1998 - NASA 25 January 2006: Methane from forests may be 5pc or less of gas stored in trees. Ensis scientists comment on their unpublished calculations in the light of new European research that reported for the first time that plants contribute to greehouse gas emissions 25 January 2006: Saving coral reefs, mangroves worth billions of dollars: UN. Instrumental in reducing coastal erosion, study finds 25 January 2006: No room for environmental complacency despite good report – Govt. Room for improvement despite international standing - environment minister 24 January 2006: Greens say environment study flawed, more work to do. Say the 2006 Environment Index did not take into account levels of exposure to toxic chemicals, waste handling, and loss of ecosystems and species 24 January 2006: Japanese scientists recover million-year-old ice from Antarctica. Researchers say the air trapped in the ice sample taken at a depth of 3,028.52 metres may hold important clues into climate change 23 January 2006: New Zealand leads the world in environmental performance – study. One of only six nations to measure up on environment factors including low ozone levels, clean drinking water, low greenhouse gas emissions and sustainable fisheries 20 January 2006: Bacteria in dirt may be "born" resistant to drugs. Study shows all 480 strains of Streptomyces bacteria developed resistance to antibiotics, including drugs approved as recently as 2004 20 January 2006: Rare bird colony thriving. Campbell Island snipe return home after one of the world's most successful rat eradication programmes 19 January 2006: Balloons to help scientists clear cloudy picture. Scientists from 10 countries will release 1000 weather balloons in Darwin over the next month as part an international experiment to try to find out the nature of tropical clouds 18 January 2006: Manawatu, Wanganui sinking say scientists. GNS statistics show the region is 30cm lower than it was two years ago, a result of "silent" seismic activity 18 January 2006: Experts explain whale strandings. Tasmanian study shows link between mass strandings and weather patterns 18 January 2006: NZ joins 16 other countries in whaling protest. Joins diplomatic protests against Japanese whaling in the Southern Ocean 17 January 2006: NZ and French researchers hunt for climate clues. NIWA scientists and New Zealand students will join French researchers aboard the Marion Dufresne II this month, the world's only research vessel capable of taking intact cores of soft marine sediment long enough to give an accurate picture of past climatic conditions 16 January 2006: No international law options to stop whalers: NZ commissioner. NZ's commissioner to the International Whaling Commission, Sir Geoffrey Palmer says the regulation allowing scientific whaling must be removed 15 January 2006: Raglan entrepreneur turns waste into whitebait. Captive breeding programme thrives on diet of waste yeast, animal manure and fish processing waste 13 January 2006: China says controversial dam plan won't harm neighbours. Official environmental impact study not being made public 13 January 2006: Gore urges audience to take action on global warming. The world has the technology to reverse the trends of global warming, but using it remains the greatest challenge - former Vice President Al Gore 13 January 2006: Six big polluters endorse voluntary plan to reduce gas emissions. Environmentalists called it an empty promise that will only benefit big business 13 January 2006: World's largest wetland under threat in Brazil. Brazil's Pantanal is being destroyed by increased farming, ranching and mining 12 January 2006: Frog species wiped out by global warming. By analysing records of sea surface and air temperatures, the scientists showed with "very high confidence" that frogs were vanishing in step with the changing climate 12 January 2006: New source of global warming gas found – plants. Produce about 10 to 30 percent of the annual methane found in the atmosphere 12 January 2006: US, Australia pledge millions of dollars. Pledged a combined US$127 million ($NZ184.35 million) to an Asia Pacific plan to slash greenhouse gas emissions by promoting new technologies for clean and renewable energy generation 12 January 2006: Big polluters back clean technology at meeting. Brief descriptions of some of those technologies 12 January 2006: Climate battle must not hamper growth, Howard says. Australian Prime Minister John Howard today said it was unrealistic to expect nations to sacrifice economic growth in order to halt global climate change 12 January 2006: New research shows forests not so effective as carbon 'sinks'. New forests might increase greenhouse warming through methane emissions rather than decrease it by being 'sinks' for carbon dioxide - David Lowe 12 January 2006: Researchers say farming threatens Brazil wetlands. Farming has already wiped out nearly 45 percent of the original vegetation in the Paraguay River Basin 11 January 2006: Grey sludge likely to be remains of marine life, says council. A grey sludge reported on a Hauraki Gulf island is likely to be an accumulation of salps that has been washed ashore - NIWA 11 January 2006: Big polluters back clean technology at meeting. Brief descriptions of some of those technologies to be discussed by pact members 11 January 2006: French green lobby wary of biofuel benefits. Damage caused by intensive farming to produce them could outweigh the clean-burning benefits 11 January 2006: Northwestern Hawaiian islands enter critical year for protection. The islands are home to about 7000 species of birds, fish and marine mammals, a quarter of which are unique to Hawaii 11 January 2006: Minister vows to keep up the pressure on Japan. Conservation Minister Chris Carter, under pressure from the Greens to do more than talk about Japanese whaling 11 January 2006: US says industry key to six-nation climate pact. By identifying industry-specific energy reforms 11 January 2006: US backs Australian uranium sales to China. Nuclear power needed to play a bigger role in global energy generation to fight pollution 11 January 2006: More efforts required urgently on climate change - US senator. Senators John McCain, Susan Collins and John Sununu have been on a fact-finding visit to Antarctica to observe research work on climate and atmosphere 11 January 2006: US calls on business to tackle climate change. In contrast to Kyoto, the Sydney talks will focus on tackling air pollution not through mandatory cuts, but mainly by improving efficiencies in the use of coal and oil 11 January 2006: World's big polluters to fund clean energy projects. Multi-million dollar fund to encourage mining and power industries to develop and use cleaner energy technologies 11 January 2006: Australia and US resist calls for carbon trading. Remain opposed to binding limits on emissions 10 January 2006: 2005 a year of extreme weather, says NIWA report. A destructive tornado in Greymouth, catastrophic floods in the North Island, an unseasonably late snowstorm in Canterbury and warmer than average temperatures nationwide 10 January 2006: Warnings on global warming ahead of climate talks. Key ministers from some of the world's worst polluters are headed to a major global warming conference Wednesday in Australia 10 January 2006: US says industry key to six nation climate pact. Hopes they will agree a "common strategy" to reduce global warming by identifying industry-specific energy reforms 10 January 2006: Climate change meeting criticised. Greenpeace activists say they'll eat their hats if this week's international climate change meeting sets any binding targets on greenhouse gas reduction 9 January 2006: NZ participates in Australian project to lock CO2 deep underground. The trial of carbon dioxide sequestration technology is being led by Australia's Cooperative Research Centre for Greenhouse Gas Technologies 9 January 2006: World's top polluters to fight climate change. Partnership plans to create a fund to help develop cleaner energy technologies 8 January 2006: Chris Carter disputes Japanese defence of whaling. Japan Whaling Association President Keiichi Nakajima has hit out at critics of his country's actions saying killing whales is good for science - an argument Conservation Minister Chris Carter describes as absurd 7 January 2006: US to push nuke, hydrogen power at climate confab. Part of their anti-Kyoto moves 6 January 2006: Tsunami warning centres in Alaska, Hawaii go on 24-hour alert. US government has funded them for round-the-clock staffing 5 January 2006: Marsupial tooth find bolsters land bridge. Fresh proof that a land bridge connected the North American and European continents 5 January 2006: Roof-collected rainwater causing sickness: survey. Researchers tested 450 private roof water samples from the lower North Island 5 January 2006: Action needed to protect deep-sea fish – scientists. Five North Atlantic deep-water species have declined by 89-98 percent between 1978 and 1994 4 January 2006: NZ's clean air and thin ozone mean 40 percent more UV than USA. UV levels were as if the country was actually positioned 450km nearer the equator and 1000m higher in altitude 4 January 2006: December the third warmest on record. NIWA's monthly climate summary 4 January 2006: Oil, gas pose Arctic technology challenges – expert. Challenges to safeguard the environment as global warming thins the polar ice 3 January 2006: Caps on CO2 emissions don't work. Only solution is to remove the CO2 from the environment after it is emitted 2 January 2006: Whale studies to figure in Australian research voyage. Minke whales and their diet are to be studied by an Australian research team sailing for Antarctica 1 January 2006: NZers feel earth move 390 times in 2005. Two quakes during the year were bigger than magnitude 6.0 |