Antarctic Science platform

The Government is investing $49 million over 7 years in a Strategic Science Investment Fund (SSIF) platform for Antarctic science.

The platform's goals

The goals of the platform are to:

  • improve scientific understanding of pressing issues such as climate change and ecosystem resilience
  • safeguard the strategic benefits of New Zealand’s scientific activity in Antarctica
  • optimise the value and impact of Antarctic science and Antarctic-related expenditure.

We have contracted with Antarctica New Zealand to host and implement the platform.

The science priorities

The platform will be based on 4 Antarctic science priorities, which were developed in consultation with a wide range of government and sector stakeholders.

The priorities are:

  1. Understanding the stability of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet
  2. Understanding the impacts of change in the Antarctic atmosphere and Southern Ocean
  3. Understanding threats to ecosystem dynamics in the Ross Sea
  4. Understanding connections between terrestrial and nearshore Antarctic environments, including sea ice. 

Essential documents

Budget 2017 Antarctic Science Fact Sheet [PDF, 228 KB] 

Last updated: 13 October 2020