Climate scientist NZer of the Year
Climate scientist Dr Jim Salinger has been named 2024 Kiwibank New Zealander of The Year.
Salinger has dedicated almost 50 years to advancing climate science. He was one of the first to address global warming in New Zealand and a lead author for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which earned the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007.
His work has been recognised by universities in New Zealand and overseas.
He is a Companion of the Royal Society of NZ, an author and an inexhaustible publisher in academic journals, with more than 190 publications to his name.
Ground-breaking research on southern hemisphere climate change earned him the prestigious NZ Science and Technology Medal in 1994. His studies investigate climate extremes including drought, and document shrinking ice in the Southern Alps.
He was awarded the 2018 World Meteorological Organisation Award and 2019 Jubilee Medal in recognition of his lifetime achievements in climate and agricultural science.
Salinger remains an advocate for environmental responsibility, offering practical advice through talks, and is a founding member of the Intergenerational Climate Ambassadors – a collective looking to unite Kiwis across the generations for positive change.
His work has been challenged, including his 1981 PhD thesis, which identified NZ climate warming between 1945 and 1955. Often outspoken, in 2022 he wrote that he was “incredulous” that farming industry groups were opposed to government policies encouraging them to reduce emissions.
In 2009 he was sacked by Niwa for repeated breaches of its policies. He lodged a claim with the Employment Relations Authority, but lost.
Born in Dunedin in 1947, he now lives in Queenstown.
The other winners at the New Zealander of the Year Awards presented in Auckland last night were:
❚ University of Canterbury Young New Zealander of the Year: Simran Kaur. (Auckland).
❚ Ryman Healthcare Senior New Zealander of the Year: Bob Francis (Wellington).
❚ Spark New Zealand Innovator of the Year: Cecilia Robinson (Auckland).
❚ MFE New Zealand Environmental Hero of the Year: Nicola MacDonald (Auckland).
❚ Mitre 10 New Zealand Community of the Year: Cyclone Gabrielle Volunteers (Across the country).
❚ Kiwibank New Zealand Local Hero of the Year: Sally Walker (Auckland).
❚ Te Pou Tūroa o Aotearoa, New Zealand Legacy Award: Sir Wayne Smith KNZM (Tauranga).