Wellington will welcome more than 500 of the world’s leading climate scientists when it hosts the Climate and Cryosphere Open Science Conference (CliC), at Tākina Wellington Convention & Exhibition Centre, in 2026.
Hosted by the Antarctic Research Centre at Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington (VUW), this once-in-a-decade international conference focuses on how climate change is affecting our planet’s frozen regions.
Sponsored by the World Climate Research Programme, the conference will be part of the United Nations International Decade of the Cryosphere and will bring scientists and policymakers together to better understand and predict climate impacts on frozen parts of the planet and the consequences of such impacts for people and ecosystems.
The bid was led by Tim Naish, professor of Earth Sciences and Director at the Antarctic Research Centre, and Lauren Vargo, research fellow in Glaciology at VUW, with support from Business Events Wellington and Tourism New Zealand Business Events.
Wellington’s world leadership in Antarctic and climate change research at VUW – home to both the Antarctic Research Centre and the New Zealand Climate Change Research Institute – also played an important role in securing the conference.
The conference’s benefits extend far beyond the anticipated economic boost of nearly NZ$1 million (US$591,175), according to Irette Ferreira, manager of Business Events Wellington. She added that “climate change is a top priority for Wellington’s universities, businesses, research institutes, and city council”.
