INDEX ONLY: These footprints are the index for the 'Sentinel2 2023 Mainland NZ' mosaic. It has been provided to enable users to explore coverage and capture dates of the component imagery. To enquire about ordering the imagery itself, please e-mail lucas[at]mfe.govt.nz. Some imagery is available to stream at...

This indicator measures trends of atmospheric concentrations of the three main greenhouse gases (GHGs) associated with human activities for the specified periods to 2022: carbon dioxide (CO2, ppm) from 1972, methane (CH4, ppb) from 1989, and nitrous oxide (N2O, ppb) from 1996.A subset of observations taken at Baring Head near Wellington was used to report...

The marine economy shows the contribution marine-based economic activities make to the New Zealand economy as measured by gross domestic product (GDP). Measuring the marine economy shows how New Zealand’s marine environment is used to generate economic activity and how this changes over time. However, these activities can be a source of pressure on New...

Adapted by Ministry for the Environment and Statistics New Zealand to provide for environmental reporting transparency. Dataset used to develop the "River water quality: phosphorus" indicator (available at https://www.stats.govt.nz/indicators/river-water-quality-phosphorus). Phosphorus in river waters is one of five parameters that provide an overview of...

A consistent band of westerly wind flows across the Southern Hemisphere and circles the South Pole. The Southern Annular Mode (SAM) describes how this band moves, either north towards the equator (negative phase) or south towards Antarctica (positive phase). A negative phase typically causes increased westerlies, unsettled weather, and storms in New...

A glacier is a body of slow-moving ice, at least 1 hectare in area that has persisted for two decades or longer. New Zealand has 3,144 glaciers. Most are located along the Southern Alps on the South Island, although Mount Ruapehu on the North Island supports 18 glaciers. New Zealand’s large glaciers are noteworthy for their large debris cover. The...

This data measures the number of detected and established non-indigenous (non-native) species new to New Zealand each year. Many non-indigenous species arrive in New Zealand waters and have little impact or cannot survive; others establish and have a negative impact on our native habitats and species. Determining that a species has established depends on...

Ozone in the stratosphere is destroyed in a catalytic reaction with a range of chemical species (mainly CFCs) that are emitted through human activities. The emission of these chemicals is closely related to the amount of the chemicals that are produced. The Montreal protocol helps the UNEP collect information on the production of ozone depleting...

16 April 2020: Subsequent to publication in April 2019 we discovered two small errors with this dataset. These included: Errors in the coordinates of some sites and their associated metadata (such as landcover and elevation). Errors in our calculation of dominant landcover. In addition, flow data from TopNet has also been updated. These changes have a...

Interpolated total sunshine hours values at 30 regionally representative sites. Sunshine is essential for our mental and physical well-being and plant growth. It is also important for tourism and recreation. More information on this dataset and how it relates to our environmental reporting indicators and topics can be found in the attached data quality pdf.

23 April 2021: A new version of this data set has been published. It includes data on 4 parameters (Ammoniacal nitrogen (adjusted), Escherichia coli, Macroinvertebrate Community Index and Total Phosphorus) that had been missing from the file that was published as part of the Our freshwater 2020 release in April 16 2020. The updated data set also includes...

We measure gases that are added to the atmosphere through human activities. This does not include natural sources such as biological processes or volcanic emissions. We report greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2-e) units, which is a measure for how much global warming a given type and amount of greenhouse gas causes, using the...

16 April 2020: Subsequent to publication in April 2019 we discovered two small errors with this dataset. These included: Errors in the coordinates of some sites and their associated metadata (such as landcover and elevation). Errors in our calculation of dominant landcover. In addition, flow data from TopNet has also been updated. These changes have a...

The status of our bird communities is an important indicator of the condition of our ecosystems. Many indigenous birds play key ecological roles, including dispersing seeds and pollinating flowers. In some situations, exotic bird species (not indigenous to New Zealand) can partially fulfil these roles. A reduction in the distribution and/or decline in...

Growing degree days (GDD) measures the amount of warmth available for plant and insect growth and can be used to predict when flowers will bloom and crops and insects will mature. GDD counts the total number of degrees Celsius each day is above a threshold temperature. In this report we used 10 degrees Celsius. Increased GDD means that plants and insects...

The El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is the movement of warm equatorial water across the Pacific Ocean and the atmospheric response. It occurs every 2–7 years, typically lasting 6–18 months. ENSO has three phases: neutral, El Niño and La Niña. In New Zealand an El Niño phase in summer can bring increased westerly winds, more rain in the west, and...

The number of frost and warm days changes from year to year in response to climate variation, such as the warming pattern induced by El Niño. Climate models project we may experience fewer cold and more warm extremes in the future. Changes in the number of frost and warm days can affect agriculture, recreation, and our behaviour, for example, what we do...

Land cover describes the extent of vegetation, water bodies, built environments, and bare natural surfaces (eg gravel and rock) across New Zealand. Measuring the composition of and changes in land cover can help us understand the pressures that different land uses are placing on the biodiversity and functioning of ecosystems. This measure reports on land...

These data are the raw river water quality observations used to calculate state and trends for the period ending 2017. It contains ten parameters of water quality based on measurements made at monitored river sites: Nitrate-nitrogen Ammoniacal nitrogen Ammoniacal nitrogen (adjusted) Total nitrogen Total phosphorus Dissolved reactive phosphorus Water...

This dataset measures atmospheric concentrations of the three main greenhouse gases (GHGs) associated with human activities for the specified periods to 2022: carbon dioxide (CO2) from 1972, methane (CH4) from 1989, and nitrous oxide (N2O) from 1996. A subset of observations taken at Baring Head near Wellington was used to report on monthly averages and...