Cate Macinnis-Ng

@loraxcate

Tree ecophysiologist, parent, ocean paddler and brownie baker. I'm interested in forests, water, carbon, climate change. Tangata Tiriti and manuhiri, she/her, Auckland Uni Prof, Lead Author IPCC AR7 WGII, Senior Editor J Applied Ecology

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Cate Macinnis-Ng@loraxcate· 16h

Spot the tauhou (silvereye)...

A photo looking across the water to the city of Tāmaki Makaurau with the sky tower and other buildings in the top left. In the foreground there is a branch of a tree with a single tauhou silvereye hidden on the branch.

Cate Macinnis-Ng@loraxcate· 20h

In the lead up to the election, all voters need to read the summary and key recommendations from He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission Progress Report - National Adaptation Plan out today. It's grim. #NZPol www.climatecommission.govt.nz/reports-and-...

Summary of findings for decision-makers
The national adaptation response is still patchy and the need is intensifying
Our 2026 assessment of progress has found adaptation is not keeping pace with escalating
climate risks in Aotearoa New Zealand, and in some cases is slipping further behind.
This reflects our 2024 finding, that the work underway is not enough to make the country
resilient to current pressures, let alone into future decades. The progress made since 2024
has been uneven and serious gaps remain.
This matters, critically. As climate impacts intensify, weaknesses in the country’s response
increase in consequence – as harm and costs experienced by families, communities, hapū
and iwi, and workers and businesses across the motu.
Aotearoa New Zealand is – too often – paying to react and recover after damage occurs,
rather than preparing ahead of time. This is becoming increasingly unsustainable as
climate risks and impacts continue to grow.
• Recent IAG reporting estimates the direct costs to central government and insurers
from natural hazards including climate change are about $4 billion per year, which has
a significant slowing effect on the economy.1
• At the same time, a Deloitte review of Queensland flooding has shown the costs to
people’s physical and mental health, and social and community impacts may be as high
or higher than damage to homes, commercial and public infrastructure, and even the
costs of lost economic activity and emergency response and clean-up.2

Accelerating action depends on completing the foundations for adaptation
The next national adaptation plan can help accelerate the action needed, but the
foundations for effective adaptation need to be completed first.
Because of the increased urgency, our recommendations in this report are more specific
than our 2024 advice. We are direct about what needs to happen and who is responsible
for getting it done.
We have focused our recommendations on six essentials for immediate action: funding and
financing; legal requirements for local adaptation planning; aligned legislation; national climate
risk information; iwi/Māori-led adaptation; and a stronger national adaptation plan in 2028.
They all need to be in place for effective responses that can reduce the serious and far-reaching climate risks Aotearoa New Zealand faces.

Our recommendations at a glance
Our recommendations for action
1. We recommend that central government establishes funding and financing
pathways to enable adaptation at a local level.
2. We recommend that central government puts in place legislative requirements
for local adaptation planning, along with appropriate tools and guidance, to ensure
that adaptation planning is a priority for local government.
3. We recommend that central government embeds climate change into key pieces of
legislation that govern the natural and built environment and ensures they are aligned
(not at cross purposes).
4. We recommend that central government coordinates, governs and invests in building
and maintaining national climate risk information and guidance to assist informed
decision-making at all levels.
5. We recommend that central government establishes funding and financing
mechanisms and models for iwi/Māori, so they can continue adaptation efforts in
line with their tikanga and whakaarotau.i
6. We recommend that central government ensures the next national adaptation plan:
• has goals and objectives that will drive action at the pace and scale needed
• prioritises action based on the consequence and urgency of climate-related risks
• has investment and workforce strategies to support effective implementation
of the plan.

Cate Macinnis-Ng@loraxcate· 5d

Another frosty morning in Tāmaki Makaurau.

Green clover and grass leaves with white ice crystals covering them.

Cate Macinnis-Ng@loraxcate· 6d

Chilly morning in Tāmaki Makaurau but the colours over the water are glorious.

Photo of a roadway with Rangitoto in the background and several trees silhouetted against the early morning sky. The water reflects the orange sky.

Cate Macinnis-Ng@loraxcate· Jul 10

Post or repost a #Bridge from your photography or artwork.

Cate Macinnis-Ng@loraxcate· Jul 6

Post something calming

Lost Lake Whistler BC. Still lake surface reflects surrounding mountains and vegetation.

Cate Macinnis-Ng@loraxcate· Jul 5

Warmer winters may not be as damaging as summer heatwave but they still influence natural and agricultural systems, often in hidden ways. Here's the print version -

Photo of newspaper piece about warming winters under climate change

Cate Macinnis-Ng@loraxcate· Jun 25

Climate change is here. In last 10 years, UK June temps have peaked over 30C in all but one year but in the 1980s, June temps only exceeded 30C three times in a ten year period. #heatwave www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Plot of maximum temperatures in June for the UK. There is one bar for each year and those above 30 degrees are in dark orange while those below 30 degrees are in a lighter orange shade. As time progresses from the 1980s to today, the darker orange bars are becoming more frequent, consistent with a pattern of increased occurrences of heat waves.

Cate Macinnis-Ng@loraxcate· Jun 18

No need to paint anything blue here in Tāmaki Makaurau.

Photo of Kohimarama Beach with blue sky and some clouds above. The still water is reflecting the sky to create a rich blue colour.

Cate Macinnis-Ng@loraxcate· Jun 12

And the readership information is super interesting - 15% of readers are from France. Bonjour!

Pie chart showing more than half for New Zealand and the next largest slice is for France, then Australia and the US with the remainder being other countries.

Cate Macinnis-Ng@loraxcate· Jun 3

The crises of biodiversity loss, climate change and land and ocean degradation need to be addressed together through integrated strategies. New report led by @pettorelli.bsky.social explains why and how. cms.zsl.org/sites/defaul...

Screenshot from the front page of the report - the risks of climate-nature silos

Cate Macinnis-Ng@loraxcate· May 23

An amazing week with IPCC WGII lead authors in The Bahamas. It's been great to make progress towards the first order draft for Assessment Round 7 and squeeze in some time in the sun. www.ipcc.ch/2026/05/18/p...

Photo of a white sandy beach with a blue sky and scattered clouds. The water is a beautiful turquoise colour.

Cate Macinnis-Ng@loraxcate· Apr 29

I've been watching these buds all week and now they are finally open. A spring-time delight!

Some freshly opened blossoms with pale pink petals and bright yellow stamens.

Cate Macinnis-Ng@loraxcate· Apr 29

Cate Macinnis-Ng@loraxcate· Apr 29

The China Forest Museum in Harbin is a hidden gem for plant nerds but the taxidermy is a little unfortunate. #BadTaxidermy

A taxidermy cat. The cat looks very alarmed.

A taxidermied hopping mouse. It's eyeballs are bulging and it's tail is kinked.

Cate Macinnis-Ng@loraxcate· Apr 27

Loving watching the flowers blooming in early spring here in Harbin China.

Bright yellow flowers on the forest floor

Cate Macinnis-Ng@loraxcate· Apr 27

Northeast Forestry University winning on the merch game - first time I've had a university-branded icecream. Not the greatest green tea icecream I've ever had but definitely the most novel.

An icecream on a stick. The icecream is green and shaped like a famous water feature at Northeast Forestry University.

Cate Macinnis-Ng@loraxcate· Apr 20

Supposedly visiting Northeast Forestry University in Harbin China for the trees, and teaching but gotta say, the mammals are pretty cute too!

A squirrel with black tufty ears eating a nut

Cate Macinnis-Ng@loraxcate· Apr 18

PhD opportunity- fully funded with stipend, fees and project costs covered. Explore the role of phosphite in treating kauri dieback disease. Applications due 8th May. Please spread the word! newzealandecology.org/phd-explorin...

A kauri tree looking towards the canopy.

Cate Macinnis-Ng@loraxcate· Apr 9

20 years ago today, we joined the bereaved parents club when Callum died from complications of Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrone at 16 months of age. It doesn't get any easier and this year I'm feeling for families losing loved ones in senseless war. 💔

A red candle glowing in the dark next to a photo of me with baby Callum sleeping at 6 weeks of age.

Cate Macinnis-Ng@loraxcate· Apr 2

Huka Falls never disappoints.

Fast-flowing greeny-blue water with rocks in the foreground and trees on the far bank.

Cate Macinnis-Ng@loraxcate· Apr 1

Excluded domains in the Environmental Sustainability and Resilience Pillar include "Ecological research with limited national relevance, eg investigations into environmental phenomena (such as natural sounds or processes) that do not deliver enduring public value for New Zealand." Absolute nonsense!

Screenshot from the report reading-
"Excluded domains:
Biodiversity research that does not directly
contribute to the protection or restoration of
native species or ecosystems in New Zealand.
Ecological research with limited national
relevance, eg investigations into environmental
phenomena (such as natural sounds or
processes) that do not deliver enduring public
value for New Zealand."

Cate Macinnis-Ng@loraxcate· Mar 29

A few amazing days in the alpine zone with @juliedeslippe.bsky.social! We were stuck inside during the wind and rain but it was totally worth it when we got out!

The field team - Julie, Jenny, Cate and Eve rugged up for the wind and rain.

Amazing alpine spring with beautiful green plants.

Exploring the surroundings with the weather closing in again.

Sunrise from Mt Ruapehu. The sun is peaking over low clouds in an orange sky.

Cate Macinnis-Ng@loraxcate· Mar 22

Beautiful day for a walk in the ngahere at Cascade Kauri Park.

A photo of green foliage and a blue sky in the background

Cate Macinnis-Ng@loraxcate· Mar 9

🌲 Fully funded PhD opportunity working on treatments for kauri dieback disease. Join an exciting team working on saving kauri forests. Open to local and international applicants. www.auckland.ac.nz/en/science/a...

Text says "Exploring the role of phosphite for kauri dieback disease treatment". Photograph shows kauri tree trunk with a green canopy above and a blue sky behind.

Cate Macinnis-Ng@loraxcate· Mar 6

Job Alert! Come join us at The School of Biological Sciences as a Professional Teaching Fellow. Relevant subject areas are: molecular biology, cellular biology, genetics, molecular ecology, biochemistry. Closing 31st March. jobs.smartrecruiters.com/TheUniversit...

A group of four students in white lab coats studying plants

Cate Macinnis-Ng@loraxcate· Feb 24

Love the blues of Tāmaki Makaurau at this time of year!

Photo of a sandy beach with a aquamarine Waitemata harbour and blue skies above. Rangitoto sits on the horizon to the right of the picture and there are wisps of clouds in the sky.

Cate Macinnis-Ng@loraxcate· Jan 24

Slips have always been part of the landscape of Aotearoa but with deforestation and increased heavy rain events under climate change, they are going to become more frequent and widespread. Sadly we have learnt nothing from the Auckland Anniversary floods and Cyclone Gabrielle just 3 years ago. 🧵

Photo of a slip on Tamaki Drive, Tāmaki Makaurau January 2023 after the Auckland Anniversary weekend extreme rain event from our 2024 paper on emerging opportunities and threats of climate change in Aotearoa https://doi.org/10.1080/03036758.2023.2267016

Cate Macinnis-Ng@loraxcate· Jan 13

Smoke from the Victorian fires over Tāmaki Makaurau this evening.

A photo across the Waitamata Harbour showing vegetation in the foreground with water and the city in distance. The sky has some brown smog on the horizon and the sun is shining through the smoke on the left.

Cate Macinnis-Ng@loraxcate· Oct 15

The rātā Moehau outside the Old Biology Building at Waipapa Taumata Rau (UoA) does not flower every year but it looks like 2025 will be another reproductive year #bloomscrolling