The Government has announced it will invest a further $49 million over the next seven years in Antarctic research to better understand changes on the icy continent and how they could affect New Zealand.
First established through Budget 2017, the Antarctic Science Platform has been leading important research like modelling ice sheets to better predict sea-level rise. The information helps New Zealand prepare for and respond to future climate challenges, said Science, Innovation and Technology Minister, Shane Reti.
“What happens in Antarctica matters to us here in New Zealand,” said Minister Reti.
“For example, as Antarctic ice melts, sea levels rise, which increases the risk of coastal erosion and flooding — threatening Kiwi homes and communities.”
Dr Reti said the investment will help New Zealand collaborate with international partners like the United States, Italy, and South Korea, who have research bases near Scott Base.
“As a founding Party to the Antarctic Treaty and one of only five gateways to the southernmost continent, New Zealand is committed to preserving and protecting Antarctica and the Southern Ocean for present and future generations.”
“What happens in Antarctica affects us all. This investment will help us better understand and prepare for climate change impacts, protect our communities, and support economic growth through stronger science and innovation.”
The Antarctic Science Platform’s objective is to conduct excellent science to understand Antarctica’s impact on the global earth system and how this might change in a +2˚ C (Paris agreement) world. It has four priorities:
- Understanding the stability of the West Antarctic ice sheet;
- Understanding the impacts of change in the Antarctic atmosphere and Southern Ocean;
- Understanding threats to ecosystem dynamics in the Ross Sea;
- Understanding change in terrestrial and nearshore Antarctic environments, and the connections between them;
Over the next seven years, the Antarctic Science Platform will seek to build on their previous work, but with a strategic shift based on extensive consultation with Antarctic researchers and stakeholders, to understand:
- What are the critical signposts of catastrophic climate change and how can they be effectively observed to support timely mitigation?
- What are the drivers and potential implications of unprecedented change in the Ross Sea and Southern Ocean?
- What are the critical vulnerabilities of Antarctica’s ice sheets and glaciers, and what are the implications of likely increased melt?
