Dr. Peter Urich, Managing Director of ClimSystems, shared strategic insights on transforming complex climate science into action on May 22nd at the “ArcGIS and Climate Change” webinar.

Hosted by  Eagle Technology, Esri’s official ArcGIS software distributor in New Zealand and the South Pacific, the event highlighted the value of integrating expert climate data with advanced Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Dr. Urich outlined ClimSystems’ mission to break down big, complex data sets to make them accessible and usable through Geographic Information Systems (GIS). He stressed that visualising data on maps is key to effective communication and decision-making, a belief consistently validated throughout his career.

With over 20 years as a global leader in providing climate data, ClimSystems champions its data quality — the organisation’s daily work involves meticulously sourcing, validating, cleaning, and downscaling complex information for local relevance. Dr. Urich stressed, “Data quality is important to us. That’s what we do.” This commitment to quality control is supported by a strong data governance framework that ensures transparency in their methods. Dr. Urich also emphasised their commitment to scientific innovation, as ClimSystems incorporates machine learning and the latest science from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) into their work. ClimSystems’ data expertise is complemented by deep GIS proficiency, which ensures that their data is not only scientifically robust but also integrates well with the ArcGIS platform that many organisations rely on.

ClimSystems’ data has successfully driven real-world solutions globally through GIS. Dr. Urich highlighted several of these applications across the globe, including:

• Using ArcGIS tools to import flood data into the Computer-Aided Design (CAD) platform to design flood defences for critical infrastructure in New Zealand
• Enhancing retail sector resilience to climate-driven supply chain disruptions
• Bolstering food security and development — ClimSystems’ crucial climate analysis helped Vanuatu secure a US$28.29 million Green Climate Fund grant in 2024 to build climate resilience by improving water security.

Dr. Urich noted that the focus has shifted from convincing people about climate change to actively “preparing for climate change, risk, adaptation, and building resilience”. ClimSystems is dedicated to providing the expert data, innovative solutions, and collaborative partnerships essential to addressing this accelerating global challenge.

For those interested in learning more, a recording of the webinar, “ArcGIS and Climate Change”, can be found here: