Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Work smarter with a Pro licence Learn More

Video | Business Headlines | Internet | Science | Scientific Ethics | Technology | Search

 

Deep South National Science Challenge projects confirmed

Deep South National Science Challenge projects confirmed

Understanding our future climate so New Zealanders can adapt and thrive is the aim of the Deep South National Science Challenge, which today announced its first allocation of funds to improve predictions of climate change.

The Deep South Challenge is one of 11 Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment-funded challenges aimed at taking a more strategic approach to science investment.

The first funding allocations will see over $9 million spent on six projects over four years. These projects will begin the process of developing New Zealand’s first world-class numerical earth system model to simulate current climate and possible future climates under different scenarios of future global greenhouse gas emissions. The model will help advance understanding of southern hemisphere influences on the global climate.

By systematically incorporating those influences, model simulations will help sharpen our understanding of the potential changing climate around New Zealand. This will substantially improve our ability to anticipate possible impacts and implications on our key climate-sensitive economic sectors, infrastructure and natural resources.

It will be underpinned by improved knowledge and observations of climate processes in the Southern Ocean and Antarctica - our “Deep South”.

The first allocated funding will go to the following projects:

• Establishing a New Zealand Earth System Modelling capability, led by NIWA

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

• Targeted observation and process-informed modelling of Antarctic sea ice, led by the University of Otago

• Improving predictions and understanding of the Deep South drivers of New Zealand’s climate, led by Victoria University of Wellington

• Reducing biases in the representation of clouds and aerosols in the NZ Earth System Modelling, led by the University of Canterbury

• Assessing and validating the earth system model using modern and historic observations, led by Bodeker Scientific

• The Southern Ocean in a warming world and its influence on New Zealand’s climate, led by the University of Auckland


The challenge is being delivered through five programmes: Processes and Observations, Earth System Modelling and Prediction, Vision Matauranga, Impacts and Implications, and Engagement.

To ensure the Deep South Challenge benefits all New Zealanders, it is developing innovative engagement practices to make sure the science is relevant and useful to Māori, industry, regulators, planners and communities.

This will give New Zealanders a greater level of certainty in their planning and decision-making in the face of a changing climate.

The collaborative approach will ensure the science remains focused on and directed by societal needs, helps build capability within Māori, stakeholder organisations and communities, and is used by all.

Deep South Director, Professor Dave Frame, said “Modelling the earth system is the only way to coherently integrate the diverse processes that govern the climate. This is the first time New Zealand has invested in this kind of capability, which is really at the centre of modern physical climate science. If we’re to plan and execute sensible responses to climate change, we have to have a good understanding of how the climate works and how it is likely to change.”

More details about funded projects can be found on the Deep South website,http://www.deepsouthchallenge.co.nz/thechallenge/projectoverviews

For regular updates on the Deep South Challenge, please subscribe at http://www.deepsouthchallenge.co.nz/updates

ENDS

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Business Headlines | Sci-Tech Headlines

 
GenPro: General Practices Begin Issuing Clause 14 Notices

GenPro has been copied into a rising number of Clause 14 notices issued since the NZNO lodged its Primary Practice Pay Equity Claim against General Practice employers in December 2023.More

SPADA: Screen Industry Unites For Streaming Platform Regulation & Intellectual Property Protections

In an unprecedented international collaboration, representatives of screen producing organisations from around the world have released a joint statement.More

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.