The sea is rising, but the land is moving, too

Sea-level rise is usually presented in graphs like the one above, which shows the average readings of Wellington Harbour tidal gauges over the last century.

But in New Zealand, the land is moving, too. Tectonic forces are pushing land up in some places, and down in others, meaning that the effects of sea-level rise will be lesser in some areas—but that sea-level rise may happen twice as fast as expected along some coasts.

A massive project to map both sea-level rise and land movement around the entirety of New Zealand's coastlines now reveals how much those coastlines are set to change. What have we built that's now at risk? Keep reading...

Open for entries

Put down that smartphone, and dust off your camera… entries for the 2022 New Zealand Geographic Photographer of the Year are now open. The country’s richest and most popular photographic event, Photographer of the Year encompasses a competition, exhibition, audience voting and awards night.

Win a share of $6000 cash, a voyage with Heritage Expeditions, a cycle trail with Adventure South NZ, public notoriety, industry back-slaps and the envious stares of your peers, all on one stage.

Read carefully—there are new categories, new sponsors, new opportunities to win...

You'll be competing for the grand prix Nikon Photographer of the Year, Electric Kiwi Young Photographer, Ockham Residential People's Choice, and Resene Colour awards. Categories include Resene Landscape, Leica PhotoStory, Auckland Zoo Wildlife, Lumix Society, Lightforce Aerial, Resene Built Environment and a new Adventure category sponsored by Adventure South NZ. Photographers keep copyright—this isn’t a rights grab.

Start preparing now as entries close midday, Wednesday 13 July.

Check out the entry conditions.

Image; Douglas Thorne

What storms may come

Much of New Zealand’s coastal property has an expiry date, with its value set to be wiped off the ledger in as little as nine years’ time, well before sea levels rise and coastlines are redrawn. What will happen to marae and communities by the beach? And why are we still buying—and building—properties right in the danger zone? Keep reading...

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Hot stuff

This past summer was a scorcher, not just on land but in the sea, too. In some of New Zealand’s coastal waters, temperatures reached four degrees higher than normal, while in the Bay of Plenty, a marine heatwave began in November and continued into March. Keep reading...