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

Research

All NIWA research projects

  • Rig shark

    Research Project
    Rig shark is an important inshore commercial fish species in New Zealand, and we need to understand more about their habitats, movements, nursery grounds and vulnerability to human impacts to ensure they are managed sustainably and their productivity is enhanced.
  • Landscape

    On-Site Household Sanitation Guidelines for Fiji

    Research Project
    A participatory project empowering communities with self-help tools to improve water, sanitation and hygiene.
  • Generating synthetic wind data

    Research Project
    NIWA has recently created synthetic, multi-year, 10-minute wind datasets at 15 wind farm sites across New Zealand. These will be used by the Electricity Commission to model the impact of wind farms on the national grid.
  • Biogas from pig farms

    Research Project
    Biogas from pig farms
  • Regional modelling of New Zealand climate

    Research Project
    Developing probabilistic scenarios of expected future regional climate changes.
  • Assessment of crop and tree species growing potential using climate, soil and topographic information

    Research Project
    This project demonstrates how to assess high value alternative land-use options by means of a quantitative analysis of the growing potential of selected niche crops and tree species.
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    'Eleven-station' series temperature data

    Research Project
    Temperature trends from 1930s to present day
  • PARTneR (Pacific Risk Tool for Resilience)

    Research Project
    Understanding how hazards impact people and the environment provides the foundation for informed decision making for a resilient Pacific.
  • South coast waves

    Wave hazard research

    Research Project
    NIWA collects wave data, develops and verifies wave forecasting systems, and is developing and producing wave projections.
  • Determining the age of fish

    Research Project
    NIWA expends considerable effort on determining the age of commercial fish species. But why age a fish? And how do we do it?
  • 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.
  • White sharks

    Research Project
    Where and when do white sharks occur in New Zealand waters, and how can fisheries bycatch be reduced?