Explore the important role the ocean plays in our daily weather as well as our long-term climate as we take a look at the latest research on how things are changing and what that means for Aotearoa New Zealand.
9th October, 7pm
Register for FREE to join the live webinar!
This webinar is part of our Ngā Kōrero III series, supported by the New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO, aiming to bring Ocean Literacy Principles to life. In this series you will meet experts in marine science and mātauranga Māori, learn about new discoveries and progress in marine protection, and increase awareness of opportunities for action. Hear from a diverse range of speakers including scientists, adventurers, advocates, holders of traditional Māori knowledge, and community leaders.
In this webinar, we will dive into the concept of Our Ocean, Our Future to:
~ Understand Ocean Literacy Principle #3: The ocean is a major influence on weather and climate
~ Learn how the ocean shapes Aotearoa's past, present, and future weather and climate
~ Discover inspiring Indigenous and youth-led initiatives for building climate resilience
Dr. Cliff Law, Earth Sciences New Zealand (formerly NIWA) and Department of Marine Sciences, University of Otago
Cliff is a marine biogeochemist with interests in the interaction of the ocean and climate and the resulting impacts on primary production, trace gases, ocean acidification and marine carbon dioxide removal. He led NIWAs’ Ocean-Climate Interaction programme and the national acidification project CARIM and also coordinated NZ leadership of the Commonwealth Blue Charter Action group on Ocean Acidification. He is chair of the NIWA-University Otago Centre for Oceanography and was Steering Committee member and co-chair for the international SOLAS (Surface Ocean Lower Atmosphere Study) programme. As co-chair of the Aotearoa Marine Carbon Forum, he has discussed marine carbon removal with government agencies and ministers including the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, Environment Protection Agency, Ministry for the Environment, Ministry for Primary Industries, and Department of Conservation. He has also addressed ministers on the oceans and climate change in the NZ Parliament and represented NZ in international ocean policy development. He was a recipient of the NZ Prime Ministers Science Award in 2011.
“What have the oceans ever done for us?”
Cliff will give a brief overview of the ocean-climate system, highlighting how the ocean acts as a natural buffer against climate change and what feedbacks and impacts this has on marine systems.
Dr. Matt Pinkerton, Earth Sciences New Zealand (formerly NIWA)
Matt Pinkerton is a Principal Scientist at NIWA, based in Wellington and a Principal Investigator with Te Pūnaha Matatini – the New Zealand Centre of Research Excellence for complex systems. His research brings together satellite remote sensing of the ocean and ecosystem modelling, with an interest in how environmental variability and fishing affect the structure and function of marine food webs. He has a special focus on the role of middle trophic-level species including zooplankton and mesopelagic fishes which modify the response of marine ecosystems to climate change. We learn a lot from comparing systems from the Hauraki Gulf to the Chatham Rise to the Ross Sea (Antarctica), using food web models, satellite tracking of oceanographic change and fieldwork. He is committed to working in partnerships to help protect and conserve our living oceans.
"Environmental change in Aotearoa’s ocean: what’s in store for our marine ecosystems?"
Matt will consider recent historical change to the NZ ocean (based mainly on satellite information), how ecosystems might respond, and what is likely in store for NZ’s marine systems in the future - a more future-focused perspective.
Isaac Morunga, New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO
Isaac Morunga serves as the Special Advisor Youth for the New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO, where he champions the voices of rangatahi across Aotearoa and leads the UNESCO Aotearoa Youth Leader rōpū. He works to ensure youth perspectives are woven into national and global decision-making. Outside of UNESCO, Isaac brings five years of experience working within global technology companies, driven by opportunities that sit at the intersection of social impact, people-centricity, and digital transformation.
"Te Moana, Te Taiao, Te Tangata"
In his presentation, Isaac will explore the human connection between the ocean, weather, and climate, highlighting how Indigenous and youth voices offer vital perspectives on kaitiakitanga and environmental stewardship. Drawing on his experience supporting Indigenous and meaningful youth engagement in forums such as the upcoming UNESCO Youth Forum in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, Isaac will reflect on how cultural leadership and lived experience can guide more inclusive, relational responses to climate change.
MC Alison Ballance
Author and Broadcaster, Alison is a former producer of Radio New Zealand’s weekly science and environment program ‘Our Changing World’. Alison brings her passion for meeting and interviewing passionate people, sharing their knowledge and stories, as well as her background as a zoologist, wildlife filmmaker, writer, radio producer and diver, to name a few. She is an award-winning writer, with 30 natural history titles to her name, and is a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit. She’s spent more time than most others on the rugged and famously windblown sub-Antarctic islands which have a special place in Ballance's heart, the location for one of her toughest living and working experiences.
Resources
View past webinars, including the first two in this series, on our Seaweek Youtube Channel!
For Ocean Literacy resources to use in the classroom, see our Ocean Literacy Educators Guide and other resources!
