We provide applied science and environmental consultancy services to support international development activities, with a particular focus on the Pacific and Asian regions.
An overview of NIWA's work in the Pacific:
Our expertise and capabilities cover a wide range of applied science-based assistance to support the sustainable management of marine and freshwater resources and environments, increasing community and economic resilience to natural hazards, and understanding and adapting to the impacts of climate extremes, variability and change.
Some examples of our ongoing and recent activities include:
- Vietnam: Development of an integrated water resource management tool to assist irrigation, drainage, watershed and flood protection in the Red River basin.
- Vanuatu: Marine invasive species surveys in Port Vila Harbour.
- Fiji: Climate network upgrades for Fiji Meteorological Service.
- Wallis and Futuna: Assessment of large historical tsunami occurrence.
- Samoa: Development of a climate early warning system for the agriculture and health sectors for the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.
- Pacific Regional: Coordination of the Island Climate Update, a regional climate bulleting providing accurate and timely climate outlooks and projections, in association with SPREP and SOPAC.
- Australia: Assessment of the distribution, ecology and environmental impact of six alien freshwater fish.
- Singapore: Assessment of climate change impacts on mean and extreme temperature and wind trends
- French Polynesia: Aquaculture – ecology interaction and impacts assessment to assist authorities in the management of sustainable oyster aquaculture within Aquaculture Management Areas.
- Fiji: Energy assessment for four islands in the Yasayasamoala Island group.
- Kiribati: Climate change impacts on extreme rainfall, drought and coastal conditions to support infrastructure design and risk-based management decision-making as part of the Kiribati Adaptation Project.
- Cook Islands: Supporting the Ministry of Marine Resources develop an integrated marine water quality monitoring network.
- Fiji: Development of a sustainable and low-cost waste treatment system for coastal villages on the coral coast of Liti Levu, to protect villagers from water-bourne pathogens and significantly reduce nitrogen loads to coastal waters.
- Pacific Regional: Equipment supply and hydrological training support to the Pacific HYCOS project.
Where we work
Our activities are largely focussed on the Pacific, South East Asia and Australia. However, we have also worked in many other countries in recent years and have provided significant research and consulting services in the USA, South America, the Middle East, and Europe.
How we work
We work in partnership with local and regional organisations to provide applied science-based assistance, training, capacity building and awareness activities. Many of our staff have lived in the Pacific or Asia regions, and have an intimate knowledge of the biophysical and cultural environments, while much of NIWA’s New Zealand-based research is of direct relevance to the wider Pacific region.
Who we work with
We have experience of working with, or for, a wide range of organisations operating in the Pacific and Asian regions. Recently this has included:
- Bilateral and Multilateral Agencies including New Zealand Agency for International Development (NZAid), Asian Development Bank (ADB), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), World Bank.
- Regional Organisations such as Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission (SOPAC), Pacific Regional Environmental Programme (SPREP).
- Government Departments and Agencies including Cook Islands (National Environmental Service, Meteorological Service), Republic of Kiribati (Office of Te Beretitenti), Samoa (Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment), Fiji (Fiji Meteorological Service), Australia (Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry).
- Science organisations: National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Geological and Nuclear Sciences (GNS), CSIRO, Bureau of Meteorology (BoM), MeteoFrance, University of the South Pacific.
- Non Government Organisations such as Live and Learn (Fiji), Coral Reef Research Foundation (Palau), United States National Cancer Institute, Pacific Blue Foundation (Fiji), World Wildlife Fund.
- Private and consulting organisations including Electric Power Corporation (Samoa), Ecostrategic (Australia), Snowy Mountain Engineering Corporation (Australia).
