Atmospheric analysis

CarbonWatch NZ is an internationally-recognised research programme that will enable New Zealand to make the right decisions for a zero carbon future.

The Hunga-Tonga Hunga-Ha'apai volcano generated the biggest atmospheric explosion recorded on Earth in more than 100 years.

Detecting and quantifying methane emissions by satellite

Introduced pests and diseases can harm the health of Aotearoa New Zealand's marine ecosystems, our seafood industry, and the social and cultural benefits that we derive from the sea.

Decisions about how we adapt to sea-level rise need to be based on information about our exposure to coastal flooding.

NIWA is supporting the advancement of New Zealand's growing aquaculture sector through the development of high value products of verifiable quality and sustainability.

NIWA is developing a national river flow forecasting tool for New Zealand that aims to support and strengthen our planning for and response to extreme rainfall events.

NIWA's fisheries research sits within three research programmes.

NIWA is developing and applying standardised stock monitoring and assessment methodologies for New Zealand's deepwater, inshore, and freshwater fisheries. This will enable better monitoring and prediction of changes in fish population biology, fish stock biomass, and size and age composition.

NIWA researchers are developing a physics-informed and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven method to vastly reduce the computer power needed to provide accurate climate change projections.

The development of updated national climate projections for Aotearoa New Zealand was completed in 2024.

The My Coastal Futures game was developed to help people understand climate change impacts and start thinking about how they might adapt.