Information
- Type
- Organization
- Type
- https://marineinfo.org/ns/institutes/types#Scientific
- Name
- National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research
- Acronym
- NIWA
- Address
- Private Bag 99940, Auckland, 369 Khyber Pass Road, Newmarket, Auckland, New Zealand
- Contact numbers
-
- Telephone
- +64-(0)9-375 20 90
- Location
-
- latitude
- -36.8664430
- longitude
- 174.7725590
- Description @en
- Our mission is to provide a scientific basis for the sustainable management and development of New Zealand’s atmospheric, marine and freshwater systems and associated resources. Established in 1992 as one of nine New Zealand Crown Research Institutes (CRIs), NIWA is a stand-alone company with its own board of directors and its shares held by the Crown.
NIWA has a staff of around 750, annual revenue of around $120 million derived from competition-based research grants and commercial enterprise, and assets of around $109 million (figures from 2008 Annual Report). Our science provides the basis for sustainable resource management, and our consultancy services help clients solve problems on the use and management of atmosphere & climate, coasts & oceans, freshwater, fisheries, and aquaculture.
Spread throughout New Zealand, we have our corporate headquarters in Auckland, main research centres in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Nelson, Christchurch, and Lauder, and field offices in the smaller centres. Research vessels are maintained in Hamilton, Wellington, and Christchurch. We also have subsidiaries in Australia and the USA and a vessel company.
We collaborate in the operation of the Institute of Aquatic and Atmospheric Sciences (IAAS) with Auckland University and Centres of Excellence with Otago University, Canterbury University and Victoria University of Wellington.
The majority of our research revenue comes from the Public Good Science & Technology fund, administered by the Foundation for Research, Science & Technology, and from the Ministry of Fisheries. Our staff also participate widely in international initiatives, representing New Zealand in such fora as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
We are a technology-driven, innovative company in the business of creating wealth as well as providing policy advice. Our clients include New Zealand and overseas governments; local and regional councils; industries such as energy, fisheries, forestry, dairy, horticulture, and agriculture; port authorities and oil companies; consulting engineers; and others who use water and air for commercial and recreational purposes.
We have a project management-based structure, which enables synergies from strong multidisciplinary research and the ability to work in large integrated teams and to shift resources to meet clients’ requirements – the ‘One NIWA’ concept.