New Zealand’s first large-scale climate adaptation research programme tackles barriers to action

A new $11.9M research programme led by Earth Sciences Zealand aims to accelerate decisive action on adaptation to climate impacts to help communities, councils, and industries build resilience in the face of escalating climate risks.

Landslide map upgrade offers better data for safer land-use

To engineer safer neighbourhoods and enduring infrastructure on hilly landscapes prone to landslides, New Zealand needs robust landslide data to inform decisions on where and how we live. Earth Sciences New Zealand is doing its part by undertaking a major upgrade to the New Zealand Landslide Database (NZLD).

Wetlands win proves power of partnership to improve water quality

Constructed wetlands project receives NZ award for environmental sustainability.

New findings on nitrates in rural drinking water

Many rural communities rely on private water supplies for their drinking water, but that means their water isn’t tested for the presence of contaminants, including nitrates. Now, new research into rural groundwater is giving people valuable information about the level of nitrate contamination around the country.

Warming oceans prompt major overhaul of how we monitor El Niño and La Niña

Global warming is changing how we monitor one of the world’s biggest climate drivers, says Earth Sciences New Zealand.

Three new executive roles at Earth Sciences NZ

We are seeking applications for three roles at our newly established organisation, formed through the merger of GNS Science and NIWA, with MetService soon to join.

Antarctic voyage applications are open

Expressions of interest are now open for the 2027 and 2029 Antarctic voyages.

Declining sea-ice is altering Antarctic food webs

A new study shows a significant change in Antarctic phytoplankton over time that could cascade through the marine food web and affect the ocean’s capacity as a carbon sink.

Earth Sciences NZ awarded more than $57 million for research

Earth Sciences New Zealand has been awarded $57,063,697 from the 2025 Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment Endeavour Fund across five critical research programmes encompassing hazard forecasting, climate change mitigation and adaptation and untapped sources of renewable energy.

This year’s winter snow ‘abysmal’ for many

Winter snowfall was well below average for much of the country, says Earth Sciences New Zealand.

New research will go deeper to support New Zealand's superhot exploration

Our new "DeepHeat" research programme will receive $10.69 million from the 2025 Endeavour Fund to investigate how superhot fluids move at depth. The research will directly support the New Zealand Government's supercritical exploration project in the Taupō Volcanic Zone.

Supporting students to engineer the future

At Earth Sciences New Zealand, we welcome a wide range of postgraduate researchers to work with our teams. We help accelerate individual careers as well as help strengthen the pipeline of science and innovation that Aotearoa New Zealand needs.

NZ waters teeming with undiscovered seaweed species, scientist says

Scientists believe they’re only seeing a snapshot of what could be living in our subantarctic islands and deep waters.

Earth Sciences and SPREP formalise partnership for Pacific climate and environmental resilience

Apia, Samoa ― Earth Sciences New Zealand and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Monday, marking a significant milestone in their decades-long collaboration on environmental science and resilience in the Pacific.

Unveiling Cascade: A $35 Million Leap Towards New Zealand's Technological Future

New Zealand’s newest and largest supercomputer has produced its first weather forecast.

‘Seeing’ beneath the surface: aerial survey reveals Wairarapa aquifer opportunities

An interactive 3D map of the Ruamāhanga Valley subsurface is supporting the water resilience of the region, identifying areas that could hold a hidden groundwater resource.

New study reveals colossal scale of riverbank erosion during Cyclone Gabrielle

Over 220,000 m3 of sediment was eroded from just 9.1km of Ūawa/Hikuwai riverbanks in Gisborne (Tairāwhiti).

Discovery of hidden faults sheds light on mystery of 'slow earthquakes' 

Scientists have uncovered a key piece of the puzzle behind the unusual ‘slow earthquakes’ occurring off the east coast of New Zealand’s North Island. 

Filling the gap: Port Taranaki tsunami gauge enhances national monitoring network

Earth Sciences New Zealand’s GeoNet programme has installed a new tsunami gauge at Port Taranaki, strengthening New Zealand’s ability to monitor and respond to tsunami threats along the west coast of the North Island.

Gabrielle’s intense rainfall made landslides inevitable

Cyclone Gabrielle was one of the most extreme landslide-triggering events ever recorded globally.

Rain from tropical cyclones to increase under warmer climate

New high-resolution modelling predicts that rainfall from tropical cyclones will significantly increase under global warming.

Explainer – M8.8 Kamchatka (Russia) earthquake and tsunami

On Wednesday 30 July at 11:25am (New Zealand Time) a magnitude 8.8 earthquake occurred off the east coast of Kamchatka in the far east of Russia.

Advancing science today is preparing tomorrow’s solutions

A new study suggests New Zealand’s existing GeoNet sensor network has the potential to support actionable earthquake early warnings (EEW) for the largest earthquakes.

New Zealand urban emissions expertise to influence global climate policy

New partnership with Beca to grow geothermal energy in Indonesia

Earthquakes in slow motion? Breakthrough tech detects slow slip earthquakes

Methane monitoring advances promise benefits for agriculture and waste sectors

A new era for New Zealand science

Transition Chief Executive appointed for Earth Sciences New Zealand

Bold science reforms to fuel economic growth

Science sector reforms