Four years in Antarctica investigating Earth’s changing climate

21 April 2026 - 21 April 2026

Region(s): Waikato

Type(s): presentations

Antarctica scientist, Professor Gary Wilson reveals how climate change is reshaping the icy continent and what it means for the planet's future.

Gary is the President of the International Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research and has visited Antarctica most summers for the last 35 years. Cumulatively, he has now spent more than four years of his life on the icy continent or on the rough seas that surround it. In that time, he has witnessed changes that show Antarctica is now responding to and adding to global warming. He has also been part of the ongoing international research efforts to determine the potential extent of change in Antarctica and the scale of impact on the rest of the globe as the planet warms. More recently he has also been working on the global carbon cycle in order to determine the planet’s natural contribution to global warming and identifying how we might support the planet to help us limit global warming and the degree of impact on economy, society and civilization.

In this lecture he will discuss geological evidence for the potential extent to which Antarctica will respond as we warm the planet beyond 15.7°C (450 ppm of atmospheric CO₂; 2°C and up to 170 ppm of CO₂ more than in pre-industrial times) and the impact on the rest of the planet. Evidence will be drawn from projects that drilled deep below Antarctica’s ice and projects that drilled deep into the Southern Ocean. He will also discuss current warming in Antarctica and natural processes contributing CO₂ to the atmosphere in Antarctica as it warms, as well as natural processes in the Southern Ocean, Subantarctic and southern midlatitudes drawing CO₂ out of the atmosphere and the opportunity to restore these to full potential.

This free 45-minute public lecture will be held at the Gallagher Academy of Performing Arts at the University of Waikato in Hamilton, starting at 5.45pm. Ticket scanning and Opus Bar will be open from 5pm.

For more information and to regiester: www.waikato.ac.nz/news-events/events/find-event/hamilton-public-lecture-by-professor-gary-wilson.