Researchers report in a newly released government-commissioned study that the seas and oceans surrounding New Zealand are warming far faster than the global average.

The report, titled Our Marine Environment, found that New Zealand’s waters are warming 34% faster than the global average.

Surface temperatures in four regions have risen on average between 0.16°C and 0.26°C per decade from 1982 to 2023.

The researchers also identified a link between climate change and disruptions to massive ocean currents between New Zealand and Antarctica.

The study revealed that many species, including the yellow-eyed penguin (hoiho) native to New Zealand, are struggling to adapt to the warmer, more acidic waters.

“These findings mean we must change how we manage New Zealand’s marine environment,” warned Shane Gage, the Sea Advisor at the Ministry for the Environment.

“We now have enough evidence to act, and any delay risks causing further damage to our marine ecosystems,” he added.

The researchers also found that sea level rise is accelerating in many areas. Estimates suggest that more than 200,000 homes in New Zealand are located in flood-prone zones — a risk linked in part to this phenomenon.