David Wratt
Encyclopedia
David Wratt is the Chief Scientist (Climate) at the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research
(NIWA) and is responsible for NIWA's National Climate Centre. He has a PhD in atmospheric physics from the University of Canterbury
. He has worked in the USA and Australia as well as New Zealand. His expertise includes climate and meteorology, climate change science and impacts, mountain meteorology, and air quality.
He is a Companion of the Royal Society of New Zealand
. He chairs the Climate Committee of the Royal Society of New Zealand. He is a member of the Bureau of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
(IPCC) and he is a Vice-Chair of IPCC Working Group 1, which assesses the physical science of climate change.
He was a Coordinating Lead Author of the “Australia and New Zealand” chapter of the IPCC Third Assessment Report
of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
.
After gaining a PhD in atmospheric physics from the University of Canterbury and a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Illinois, he worked for the New Zealand Meteorological Service
. In 1992 he and other climate researchers transferred to NIWA.
Wratt has stated:
National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research
The National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research or NIWA , is a Crown Research Institute of New Zealand. Established in 1992, NIWA conducts commercial and non-commercial research across a broad range of disciplines in the environmental sciences...
(NIWA) and is responsible for NIWA's National Climate Centre. He has a PhD in atmospheric physics from the University of Canterbury
University of Canterbury
The University of Canterbury , New Zealand's second-oldest university, operates its main campus in the suburb of Ilam in the city of Christchurch, New Zealand...
. He has worked in the USA and Australia as well as New Zealand. His expertise includes climate and meteorology, climate change science and impacts, mountain meteorology, and air quality.
He is a Companion of the Royal Society of New Zealand
Royal Society of New Zealand
The Royal Society of New Zealand , known as the New Zealand Institute before 1933, was established in 1867 to co-ordinate and assist the activities of a number of regional research societies including the Auckland Institute, the Wellington Philosophical Society, the Philosophical Institute of...
. He chairs the Climate Committee of the Royal Society of New Zealand. He is a member of the Bureau of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is a scientific intergovernmental body which provides comprehensive assessments of current scientific, technical and socio-economic information worldwide about the risk of climate change caused by human activity, its potential environmental and...
(IPCC) and he is a Vice-Chair of IPCC Working Group 1, which assesses the physical science of climate change.
He was a Coordinating Lead Author of the “Australia and New Zealand” chapter of the IPCC Third Assessment Report
IPCC Third Assessment Report
The IPCC Third Assessment Report, Climate Change 2001, is an assessment of available scientific and socio-economic information on climate change by the IPCC. The IPCC was established in 1988 by the United Nations Environment Programme and the UN's World Meteorological Organization ".....
of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is a scientific intergovernmental body which provides comprehensive assessments of current scientific, technical and socio-economic information worldwide about the risk of climate change caused by human activity, its potential environmental and...
.
After gaining a PhD in atmospheric physics from the University of Canterbury and a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Illinois, he worked for the New Zealand Meteorological Service
Meteorological Service of New Zealand Limited
Meteorological Service of New Zealand Limited was established as a State-Owned Enterprise in 1992. It employs about 215 staff and its headquarters are in Wellington, New Zealand...
. In 1992 he and other climate researchers transferred to NIWA.
Wratt has stated:
“There’s a strong scientific case for significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions. We need a combination of reducing our emissions in New Zealand and being part of international negotiations to reduce emissions globally in order to forestall the worst effects.”