On 1 July 2025, NIWA merged with GNS Science to become Earth Sciences New Zealand.

Atmospheric analysis

NIWA has been using advanced scientific instruments to measure atmospheric trace gases and isotopes for over 50 years.

  • Side aerial shot of Lauder Atmospheric Research Station on a bright sunny day

    Lauder Atmospheric Research Station

    Facility
    NIWA's Atmospheric Research Station at Lauder in Central Otago specialises in measuring CFCs, ozone, UV levels and greenhouse gases and has a wide range of world-class instruments and research scientists.
  • Instruments

    Service
    Find out more about NIWA Instruments Systems
  • Auckland drought

    Climate extremes

    Hottest, coldest, wettest, driest, sunniest, windiest...which places hold the record for climate extremes in NZ?
  • Supercomputing facility detail shots at Greta Point campus.

    Online services

    Service
    NIWA provides online access to major climate and environmental monitoring systems, databases and forecasting tools.
  • Ocean gliders

    Service
    Using a novel observational platform – ocean gliders—this research will observe and understand subsurface variations in temperature, salinity, oxygen and biological factors in water shallower than 200 metres – what we consider to be the shelf seas.
  • Ngā Waihotanga Iho - The Estuary Monitoring Toolkit

    Software Tool/Resource
    The main purpose of Ngā Waihotanga Iho is to provide tools for the public to measure environmental changes that occur in estuaries over time. These changes may occur due to natural processes and/or human activities.
  • Auckland motorway

    Traffic emissions mapping - black carbon and nitrogen dioxide

    Research Project
    Black carbon, commonly known as soot, is made of microscopic particles generated by incomplete combustion.
  • The adult brood-stock hapuku at Northland's Marine Research Centre

    Aquaculture nutrition

    Service
    Nutrition underpins the performance of fish stocks in terms of health, growth (production) and reproduction.
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  • Total Carbon Column Observing Network

    Research Project
    NIWA participates in the Total Carbon Column Observing Network, a ground-based observing network dedicated to making precise and accurate measurements of greenhouse gas concentrations in different parts of the atmosphere.
  • Kingifsh eggs being assessed under a microscope at NIWA's Northland Aquaculture Centre

    Aquaculture Reproduction

    Service
    One of NIWA's core areas of research and consultancy services are the broodstock development of aquaculture species and breeding strategy.
  • Restoration of aquatic ecosystems

    Research Project
    This project aims to increase our knowledge of aquatic ecosystems and their restoration, and apply this to degraded streams, rivers, lakes and estuaries.