MORE INFORMATION
As with the News section, a huge amount of information is available about the range of science and science related work that collectively sits under the very broad, science-based, climate change “umbrella”. They include a range of international (e.g. IPCC), national, (e.g. NASA, NIWA) and independent (e.g. Climate Action Tracker) science; data (e.g. Our World in Data) and other (e.g. central government department, local authority) websites as well as a large number of books, peer reviewed journals - many of which which have at least some open access content - and publication via other channels (e.g. blogs)
A number of these useful sources are identified below and were chosen primarily because they have been of use to me.
Consideration will be given to adding both other information sources and also, potentially, other types of information (e.g. New Zealand community groups that are active in the climate change space) that may be useful to users as time permits.
Note: In most instances, the information provided here isn't the only content available on the subject. There will likely be other sources that provide additional insights or context.
Note added 3 April 2025: Actions by the current American government to defund a range of climate change focused initiatives and programmes may adversely impact the continued availability of information from some of the sources listed below
International climate change focused organisations
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [IPCC] is the United Nations body for assessing the science related to climate change. Some information about this body and its outputs is provided in Section 8 of my Background Paper 4 [under Research/Unabridged Papers]
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change [UNFCCC] established the institutional agreements for the climate change intergovernmental process. The UNFCCC Secretariat (UN Climate Change) is the United Nations entity tasked with supporting the global response to the threat of climate change.
It organizes and supports a number of meetings each year, the largest and most important being the annual, Conference of the Parties - “COP” - held in November. This year’s event [COP 30] will be held from 10 to 21 November in Brazil.
The UNFCCC holds a very large number of documents and resources that are available on its website.
The Copernicus Climate Change Service [C3S] is an EU initiative to “provide climate information and tools to enable climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies by policy makers and businesses”. Its publications include:
Monthly “Climate Bulletins” that show the current condition of the climate using key climate change indicators.
An annual “Global Climate Report” that provides key findings and insights
The World Meteorological Organisation [WMO] is “a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for promoting international cooperation on atmospheric climatology and related areas”. Its annual publications include:
The “Greenhouse Gas Bulletin” on concentrations of long-lived greenhouse gases in the atmosphere
“United in Science”, a high-level brief compilation of the latest climate science information
Overseas national science-based bodies that have climate change content available
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration [NASA] is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the United States' space research, including using its space based resources and knowledge to provide information about climate change.
They have published a lot of content on climate change
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [NOAA] is a US agency whose mission is to better understand our natural world and help protect its precious resources including to monitor global weather and climate. Climate related publications include:
“State of the Climate” is a “detailed update on global climate indicators, notable weather events, and other data collected by environmental monitoring stations and instruments located on land, water, ice, and in space”
Monthly Climate reports and an “Annual Global Climate Report”
Overseas independent scientific academies
The Royal Society, “a UK based Fellowship of many of the world's most eminent scientists and is the oldest scientific academy in continuous existence” and which provides collateral in the climate change and biodiversity space.
Overseas, non-governmental, independent climate change tracking and data sites
Climate Action Tracker [CAT], is “an independent scientific project that tracks government climate action against the Paris Agreement and provide this analysis to policymakers." It is a collaboration of two organisations, Climate Analytics and NewClimate Institute.
The information available includes “Country level” summaries including New Zealand had (as at March 2023) an overall rating of “Highly Insufficient”
Our World in Data focuses on the major problems the world faces - including climate change - by maximizing and making accessible knowledge from existing research and data.
A lot of information is available on the OWID “CO2 and Greenhouse Gas Emissions” page
Overseas news organisations
The British Broadcasting Corporation [BBC], https://www.bbc.com/ is a UK public service broadcaster. It has published “What is climate change? A really simple guide” https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-24021772
The Guardian is a UK newspaper https://www.theguardian.com/ It has a ”Climate Crisis” section https://www.theguardian.com/environment/climate-crisis
New Zealand national level sources of information
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission, an entity that provides the NZ Government with advice, monitoring and reporting to support the country’s transition to a low emissions future.
The Commission publishes a forward work programme and open consultations
The Ministry for the Environment [MfE], https://environment.govt.nz/ is a Government Department and the Aotearoa New Zealand Government’s lead advisor on the environment and climate.
It therefore publishes a wide variety of climate change related material including
The Department of Conservation [DOC], is the government agency charged with conserving New Zealand’s natural and historic heritage.
An overview of the DOC climate change and conservation work can be found here
The National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research [NIWA] is a Crown Research Institute (CRI) that conducts environmental science work to enable the sustainable management of natural resources for New Zealand and elsewhere.
The “Climate & Weather” section of the organisation’s website can be found here
The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment [PCE] is an independent Officer of Parliament established “to maintain and improve the quality of the New Zealand environment by providing robust independent advice that influences decisions.”
Climate change is an area that fits within this scope and a number of the Commissions work outputs have related to climate change. The publication section of the PCE website can be found here
New Zealand local and regional sources of climate change related information
Many New Zealand local authorities are working with their communities on the adaptation to and mitigation of climate change.
Information about these efforts can be found on the relevant local authority websites. Maps and a list of Council websites can be found here
New Zealand research around resilience
The Resilience to Nature’s Challenges National Science Challenge was a programme of work (2014 - 2024) designed to enhance New Zealand’s resilience to natural disasters. The programme included significant climate change focused work with an adaptation focus.
A list of the programme’s climate change related reports and other outputs can be found here
Motu Economic and Public Policy Research [MOTU] is a New Zealand’s non-profit economic and public policy research institute. Research topics include climate change
Research at New Zealand Universities
The University of Auckland: Ngā Ara Whetū Centre for Climate Biodiversity and Society
Victoria University of Wellington: New Zealand Climate Change Research Institute (NZCCRI) and Te Āwhionukurangi Chair in the Economics of Disasters and Climate Change.
Otago University: Climate and Energy Finance Group ; Kā Rakahau o Te Ao Tūroa The Center for Sustainability and He Kaupapa Hononga Otago's Climate Change Research Network