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Climate change science

Scientists have become increasingly concerned since the 1970s that increased concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere from human activities are raising temperatures and destabilising the Earth’s climate systems.

Climate change: why we must do something

• What is climate change?
• Climate change impacts in New Zealand (Ministry for the Environment)
• Illustrated map of impacts (Ministry for the Environment)
• What does this mean for New Zealand regions? (Ministry for the Environment)
• Advice from the Prime Minister’s Chief Scientific Adviser
• IPCC's frequently asked questions (PDF, 7.3 MB)
• Physical impacts and adaptation

Reports

These reports detail observed changes in our climate.

• International reports
• New Zealand reports

What’s happened already

• Increased temperatures (about 0.9 deg C over past 100 years)
• Reduced frost frequency over most of the country
• Retreat of many South Island glaciers & snowlines
• Reduced alpine snow mass
• Sea-level rise (estimated 16 cm over last century).
• Timeline of climate change discoveries and actions

This site is administered by the Ministry for the Environment.