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

Pacific

NIWA’s environmental science helps contribute to sustainable development in the Asia-Pacific region.

  • Tonga eruption confirmed as largest ever recorded

    Media release
    A New Zealand-led team has completed the fullest investigation to date into January’s eruption of the underwater Tongan volcano.
  • Tonga eruption discoveries defy expectations

    Media release
    New findings from the record-breaking Tongan volcanic eruption are “surprising and unexpected."
  • NIWA-Nippon Seabed Mapping Project a “rare opportunity” to study effects of Tonga eruption

    Media release
    NIWA and The Nippon Foundation are undertaking a mission to discover the undersea impacts of the recent Tongan volcanic eruption.
  • Tropical seafloor secrets revealed

    Media release
    NIWA scientists and Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) have used satellite technology to chart the Cook Islands’ seafloor in never-before-seen detail. The work was done as part of Seabed 2030 - a collaborative project to produce a definitive map of the world ocean floor by 2030.
  • Pacific Risk Tool for Resilience, Phase 2 (PARTneR-2)

    Research Project
    The three-year PARTneR–2 project aims to help countries in the Pacific become more resilient to the impacts of climate-related hazards.
  • Seabed 2030

    Did you know NIWA is leading a NZ partnership in a worldwide initiative to map the entire globe’s seafloor? Found out more about the Seabed 2030 initiative.
  • Pacific Sunrise

    Climate Data for the Environment Services Client (CliDEsc)

    Research Project
    CliDEsc is a web-based content management system and product generator library developed by NIWA in consultation with National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in the Pacific region, and with the Australian Bureau of Meteorology.
  • How to be hands-off in a hands-on job

    Feature story
    NIWA environmental monitoring technician Mike O’Driscoll has just installed two water level stations in Samoa and is starting on a third—all from the comfort of his Greymouth office.
  • Solutions: Early warning of PNG floods

    Feature story
    NIWA has completed a project that aims to help build community resilience against flooding in the Bumbu River and contribute to improving Papua New Guinea’s disaster preparedness in the face of increasing climate-related disasters.
  • Improved climate information for Vanuatu

    NIWA and Vanuatu's Meteorology and Geohazards Department have installed a network of fully automatic weather stations across Vanuatu.
  • Development of sustainable water supply and treatment systems for a coastal Fijian village

    Research Project
    This collaborative NZaid project worked with coastal Fijian villagers at Votua on the Coral Coast of Viti Levu to develop pragmatic water supply and waste treatment solutions to protect public health and reduce contamination of coastal waters.
  • Coconut palms against the night sky in Tongatapu

    Island Climate Update

    Publication series
    A monthly summary of the climate in the tropical South Pacific islands, with an outlook for the coming months.