27 Mar 2013

Website to provide platform for Antarctica research

6:05 am on 27 March 2013

Landcare Research and Antarctica New Zealand have teamed up to create a website that will act as a one stop shop for scientific information on Antarctica.

The $1 million project is a world first and aimed at providing easily digestible scientific data on Antarctica to policymakers and the public.

Landcare Research's Fraser Morgan says the website will bring together all the latest research.

"Policy people are very busy, they cover a lot of ground, they really need that summarised science information so they can pick it up, read it and get a quick, good understanding of the issues that are facing Antarctica."

Antarctica New Zealand chief executive Lou Sanson says so far Australia, Norway and Belgium are supporting the website.

Mr Sanson hopes all 28 signatories to the Antarctic Treaty will eventually come on board and says the initiative is a good example of New Zealand leading the way in this part of the world.

The website is due to be operating by mid-2014.