The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) has decided not to fund the continued role of Dr Bodeker as co-chairman of one of the most prestigious climate monitoring networks in the world. As a result, he was considering resigning from the position with the Global Climate Observing System reference upper-air network, an "international reference-observing network of sites measuring essential climate variables above Earth’s surface", Dr Bodeker, of Bodeker Scientific, said.
"It is very disappointing, especially as there are direct benefits to New Zealand," he said.
"It does not make for a responsible global citizen."
He had been working with the network community for the past seven years, six of those as co-chairman, he said. Bodeker Scientific was contracted to provide services to the network through the New Zealand MetService, using funds from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to cover the costs.
Those costs comprised travel, staff time and the time his co-chairman’s role took.
However, that contract finished last week and as the NOAA funding held by the MetService was now depleted, that jeopardised both the research and his ability to continue in the role.
In April, he requested funding from the MBIE to allow him to continue in the international science leadership role. Despite support from MetService, his request for $100,000 a year for four years was declined last week.
"I received a phone call from an MBIE official, who advised me the government has decided not to fund my . . . co-chair position because ‘nobody in New Zealand believes it is critical for New Zealand for you to hold this position’," Dr Bodeker said.
He was looking for alternative sources of funding from overseas, but it was looking likely he would have to resign from the position within the next month or two.
"While I am disappointed, I am not bitter or twisted," he said.
"MBIE is entitled to make the decision it did.
"They do not consider it a sufficiently high priority."
His resignation as co-chairman would have reputational and scientific implications for New Zealand, he said.
"No longer being able to fulfil the . . . co-chair role will result in me no longer participating in those international forums, which have brought such value to New Zealand to date."
However, the biggest negative impact would be reputational as it was considered an honour for a country to have a representative in a leadership role of a global organisation such as the network, he said. It was expected that country would contribute to support such participation and he thought it was likely the decision would reflect badly on New Zealand.
