Future Climate
The Future Climate Flagship delivers quality data, tools and guidance about the past, current and future climate of New Zealand, Antarctica and the Pacific to support planning, adaptation and decision-making.
Understanding past and future climate conditions is critical for long-term planning. We will combine physical models of the climate with AI, weather observations and satellite data to refine climate projections at national, regional and local scales. Our research improves understanding of the drivers of Antarctic ice sheet and sea ice variability, and we provide data and tools to support climate-informed decision-making.
Chief Scientist - Future Climate: Sam Dean
Sam is one of New Zealand’s leading experts in climate change science. He has led major efforts to track changes in the climate system and to quantify the contribution of human-induced warming to weather extremes. His work emphasises the integration of climate models and observations as the key to deepening our understanding of how the atmosphere of the Southern Hemisphere and Antarctica responds to a changing climate. Sam is also focused on ensuring that climate research directly supports the development of practical adaptation solutions for New Zealand over the coming decade.