Research Projects
ClimateChangeNZ
Designing effective climate strategies
ClimateChangeNZ is a research project that aims to suggest what a climate strategy for 2040 might look like, using foresight tools to explore scenarios and second- and third-order impacts.
The project aims to use futures tools to explore the future in 2040, using these potential futures to backcast to the current day. The year 2040 was selected because it is the year many climate models predict significant and potentially irreversible impacts will be unavoidable, although the extent of the predicted change varies considerably.
Interconnecting research projects
The ForesightNZ, StrategyNZ and ReportingNZ projects are all interlinked with climate change and the impacts it will have now and in the future. Foresight shapes strategy; strategy requires reporting; and reporting creates foresight. ForesightNZ includes national scenarios which will be used as a resource to support this work.
More detail
Climate reporting (2019–2020)
In 2019, the Institute published a discussion paper on the Climate Reporting Emergency, and in 2020, we hosted a webinar with Mark Carney in conversation with Adrian Orr (Reserve Bank) and Hon James Shaw. They discussed rapid pathways to achieve New Zealand’s transition to a low-carbon future, with a particular focus on the Recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD).
KiMuaNZ: Exploring Climate Futures (2019)
The Institute’s 2019 KiMuaNZ workshop aimed to highlight the perspectives of young New Zealanders on adapting to and mitigating climate change, and focused on exploring different future scenarios and strategies for New Zealand and our Pacific neighbours within a climate changing world.
Think Piece 42 – In Defence of the Planet (2025)
This think piece, published in March 2025, explores several topics that may initially seem disconnected, but are in fact closely interlinked. These topics are: land wars over territory, mineral wars, tariff wars, climate change, and the leaders of the four most powerful countries on the planet. The topics are looked at individually, before exploring the interconnections and their implications for the world.
Past work
KiMuaNZ: Exploring Climate Futures (1–3 July 2019)
The KiMuaNZ workshop brought together 40 young New Zealanders between the ages of 18 and 25 who have a connection with the Pacific. They shared experiences and understandings of climate change issues in order to develop different scenarios for New Zealand and our Pacific neighbours.
A Point of Vanishing Stability
On 30 May 2019 the Institute held ‘A Point of Vanishing Stability’, a public discussion event at the National Library of New Zealand in Wellington. It sought to explore how New Zealand can develop a climate strategy that provides an urgent yet considered response to climate change. Speakers included Conal Smith, Dr Anita Wreford, Roger Dennis, Adrian Orr, Chlöe Swarbrick and Dr Carwyn Jones.