Eaves et al. (2026) Glaciers in New Zealand

Identification

• Journal: Elsevier eBooks
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-01-01
• Authors: Shaun Eaves, Lauren Vargo, Brian Anderson
• DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-323-85242-5.00057-9

Research Groups

• Antarctic Research Centre, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
• School of Geography, Environment and Earth Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand

Short Summary

This paper synthesizes the current understanding of New Zealand's glaciers, detailing their physiography, distribution, and recent changes, and reviewing monitoring methods that consistently show accelerating mass loss. It concludes with future projections indicating substantial retreat through the 21st century due to climate change.

Objective

• To outline the geological and climatic drivers of glaciation in New Zealand and detail the spatial distribution and characteristics of major glacier systems.
• To review key monitoring methods used to quantify glacier change and present observed trends in mass balance and ice loss.
• To consider model-based future projections for New Zealand's glaciers under various greenhouse gas emission scenarios.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: New Zealand, primarily focusing on the Southern Alps, including specific glaciers such as Haupapa/Tasman, K–a Roimata o Hine Hukatere/Franz Josef, Te Moeka o Tuawe/Fox, Hooker, Mueller, Murchison, Tewaewae/Stocking, and glaciers in the Tititea/Mt. Aspiring region and Mt. Ruapehu.
• Temporal Scale: Historical observations from the late 20th century to the present, with a focus on accelerating changes in recent decades (last decade), and future projections extending through the 21st century.

Methodology and Data

• Models used: Not explicitly named in the provided text, but implied for "model-based future projections" based on greenhouse gas emission scenarios.
• Data sources: Glaciological measurements, geodetic surveys, and end-of-summer snowline observations. Remote sensing is also mentioned as a key method.

Main Results

• New Zealand's glaciers, concentrated in the Southern Alps, are highly sensitive indicators of climate variability and change.
• They have experienced significant retreat and mass loss since the late 20th century, with the rate of decline accelerating in recent decades.
• Monitoring records (glaciological, geodetic, snowline) consistently show negative mass balances and increasing rates of ice loss over the last decade.
• Model-based future projections suggest continued and substantial glacier retreat through the 21st century across a range of greenhouse gas emission scenarios.
• These projected changes have significant implications for hydrology, geomorphology, ecosystems, and natural hazard exposure in the region.

Contributions

• Provides a comprehensive synthesis of the geological and climatic drivers, spatial distribution, and characteristics of New Zealand's major glacier systems.
• Reviews and consolidates findings from key monitoring methods (glaciological, geodetic, snowline surveys) demonstrating consistent negative mass balances and accelerating ice loss.
• Integrates model-based future projections, highlighting the anticipated substantial glacier retreat through the 21st century and its broad environmental implications.
• Underscores the critical importance of ongoing observation and modeling for understanding glacier trajectories and informing climate change adaptation strategies in New Zealand.

Funding

Not specified in the provided text.

Citation

@article{Eaves2026Glaciers,
  author = {Eaves, Shaun and Vargo, Lauren and Anderson, Brian},
  title = {Glaciers in New Zealand},
  journal = {Elsevier eBooks},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.1016/b978-0-323-85242-5.00057-9},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-323-85242-5.00057-9}
}