New Zealand science is undergoing the biggest organisational change since Crown Research Institutes were established more than 30 years ago.
For NIWA, this means a merger with GNS Science to create an Earth Sciences-focused Public Research Organisation – at the same time as NIWA acquires MetService.
The combination of the capabilities and resources of the three organisations provides a unique opportunity to create a world-class research organisation – the Earth Sciences Institute (ESI) – to address New Zealand’s environmental and geoscience opportunities and challenges, while driving economic and societal growth.
The benefits of establishing the ESI are compelling. We believe the outcome will be enhanced science, improved operational efficiency and the delivery of greater impact and value to the nation.
The new institute will aim to:
- increase economic growth through sustainable management and innovative research into the use of marine, freshwater, energy and mineral resources,
- enhance resilience by reducing the impacts of natural hazards and climate-related risk and by supporting adaptation and mitigation, and
- enhance the stewardship of ecosystems and biodiversity.
- More specifically, ESI will enhance industry and societal relationships to meet challenges such as:
- reducing risk and building resilience to extreme weather, coastal and geological hazards,
- supporting growth of renewable energy,
- supporting resilience to climate change,
- increasing understanding of land and marine geological processes,
- supporting the sustainable use of fisheries, aquaculture and other marine resources,
- improving understanding of coasts, oceans and Antarctica,
- understanding freshwater systems, water quality and management,
- enhancing resilience and risk management through advanced technology, AI, machine learning and data science, and
- supporting economic growth and resilience of Māori and Pacific Island nations.
A world-class weather and climate forecasting service
Bringing together the weather and climate forecasting capabilities of NIWA and MetService will result in a future-focused organisation designed to enhance the safety, wellbeing and economic benefit of New Zealand and South Pacific nations.
Earth Sciences will do this by delivering tailored and high-resolution information where and when it is needed, using the latest modelling capability, supercomputing technology and the application of AI – integrating meteorological, hydrological, oceanographic and technological forecasting capability, from research through to impacts.
We will continue to provide research and science services to inform key regulatory, policy and investment decisions and give confidence to climate-sensitive industry, local and central government and the public. As a long-standing and core member of the Momentum Partnership we will continue to contribute to the development of the world-leading modelling framework underpinning global weather and climate science.
Our aim is to improve the current warning systems for weather, climate and related hazards through:
- a national flood prediction and warning service, integrated with the severe weather warning service,
- a national coastal hazards warning service,
- and, in collaboration with partner agencies, a forecasting service that extends the warning system to other weather- and climate-related impacts, such as space weather impacts.
The advantages of scale the combination of NIWA and MetService provides will also be realised through investment in technological advances such as supercomputing, data management, data science and AI, sensor systems and satellite remote sensing.
These science sector reforms represent a once-in-a-generation opportunity. While there will inevitably be some changes in the way we operate, the three organisations are committed to meeting our obligations to our current contracted responsibilities. In other words, it’s business as usual while establishing a new research and development organisation.
GNS Science, MetService and NIWA all have outstanding reputations for making an important difference to the lives of all New Zealanders. We do not take this responsibility lightly, and we are committed to ensuring the legacy continues.