Ship Emissions, Sulphur Dioxide, Cloud Formation, and Acid Deposition
Nigel Gray made this Official Information request to Ministry for the Environment
The request was successful.
From: Nigel Gray
To: Ministry for the Environment
Subject: Official Information Request – Ship Emissions, Sulphur Dioxide, Cloud Formation, and Acid Deposition
Hello,
I am requesting the following information under the Official Information Act 1982.
I am seeking any information held by the Ministry for the Environment relating to sulphur dioxide emissions from shipping, their conversion into sulphate aerosols, their role as cloud condensation nuclei, and any resulting impacts on rainfall acidity, cloud formation, rainfall intensity, or acid deposition (commonly referred to as acid rain) within New Zealand’s coastal or inland regions.
Please provide the following:
1. Monitoring, Modelling, and Data
Any monitoring data, modelling, assessments, or environmental measurements held by the Ministry relating to:
sulphur dioxide emissions from ships
conversion of sulphur dioxide into sulphate aerosols
formation of cloud condensation nuclei from sulphur compounds
impacts on cloud formation, cloud density, or rainfall intensity
rainfall acidity or acid deposition linked to maritime emissions
2. Internal or External Scientific Advice
Any internal or external reports, briefings, memos, scientific advice, or commissioned research relating to:
environmental impacts of sulphur dioxide or sulphate aerosols from ship exhaust
effects on soil chemistry, vegetation health, freshwater ecosystems, or coastal environments
any assessment of acid rain or acid deposition in New Zealand
3. Policy and Regulatory Considerations
Any documents, advice, or correspondence relating to whether sulphur dioxide emissions from shipping are considered within:
New Zealand’s air‑quality standards
national environmental reporting frameworks
maritime emissions policy settings
climate or atmospheric monitoring programmes
4. Inter‑Agency Correspondence
Any correspondence between the Ministry for the Environment and:
Maritime New Zealand
NIWA
Ministry of Transport
Environmental Protection Authority
relating to sulphur dioxide emissions, sulphate aerosol formation, cloud condensation nuclei, cloud‑seeding effects, rainfall acidity, or acid deposition.
5. Identified Gaps or Limitations
Any documents that identify gaps, limitations, or uncertainties in New Zealand’s monitoring, modelling, or regulatory oversight of sulphur dioxide emissions from shipping.
I am happy to receive the information electronically.
Yours faithfully,
Nigel Gray
From: Service Hub
Ministry for the Environment
--Do not respond to this email--
Acknowledgement of your Official Information Act Request 26-OIAD-00428
Kia ora Nigel Gray.,
Thank you for your Official Information Act request received
on 23/02/2026.
We will endeavour to respond to your request as soon as possible and in
any event no later than 20 working days after the day your request was
received. If we are unable to respond to your request by then, we will
notify you of an extension to that timeframe.
Please note the Ministry for the Environment will release responses to
selected OIA requests on our [1]OIA responses page shortly after the
response has been sent.
If you have any queries, please feel free to contact us
at [2][MFE request email].
Please note that this inbox is not monitored.
Ngā mihi nui
Ministerial Services Team
Ministry for the Environment – Manatū Mō Te Taiao
Email: [3][MFE request email] Website: [4]www.mfe.govt.nz
8 Willis Street, Wellington Central, Wellington 6011
References
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From: OIA
Ministry for the Environment
Kia ora Nigel,
Please find attached notification of extension regarding your OIA request.
Ngā mihi nui
Lachlan
Lachlan Brown (he/him)
Kaihautū rōpū – Ngā Mōhiohio Ōkawa me te Tuku Kakama
Team Leader – Official Information and Proactive Release
Ministry for the Environment – Manatū Mō Te Taiao
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From: Service Hub
Ministry for the Environment
--Do not respond to this email--
Acknowledgement of your Official Information Act Request 26-OIAD-00732
Kia ora Nigel Gray.,
Thank you for your Official Information Act request received
on 22/03/2026.
We will endeavour to respond to your request as soon as possible and in
any event no later than 20 working days after the day your request was
received. If we are unable to respond to your request by then, we will
notify you of an extension to that timeframe.
Please note the Ministry for the Environment will release responses to
selected OIA requests on our [1]OIA responses page shortly after the
response has been sent.
If you have any queries, please feel free to contact us
at [2][MFE request email].
Please note that this inbox is not monitored.
Ngā mihi nui
Ministerial Services Team
Ministry for the Environment – Manatū Mō Te Taiao
Email: [3][MFE request email] Website: [4]www.mfe.govt.nz
8 Willis Street, Wellington Central, Wellington 6011
References
Visible links
1. https://urldefense.com/v3/__http:/www.mf...
2. mailto:[MFE request email]
3. mailto:[MFE request email]
4. https://urldefense.com/v3/__http:/www.mf...
From: OIA
Ministry for the Environment
Kia ora Nigel,
Please find attached a response to your request for official information, ref 26-OIAD-00428.
Ngā mihi,
Ministerial Services Team
Ministry for the Environment | Manatū Mō Te Taiao
Email: [MFE request email] Website: http://www.mfe.govt.nz/
8 Willis Street, Wellington Central, Wellington 6011
Ministry for the Environment | Manatū Mō Te Taiao
environment.govt.nz
show quoted sections
From: Service Hub
Ministry for the Environment
--Do not respond to this email--
Acknowledgement of your Official Information Act Request 26-OIAD-00993
Kia ora Nigel Gray.,
Thank you for your Official Information Act request received
on 15/04/2026.
We will endeavour to respond to your request as soon as possible and in
any event no later than 20 working days after the day your request was
received. If we are unable to respond to your request by then, we will
notify you of an extension to that timeframe.
Please note the Ministry for the Environment will release responses to
selected OIA requests on our [1]OIA responses page shortly after the
response has been sent.
If you have any queries, please feel free to contact us
at [2][MFE request email].
Please note that this inbox is not monitored.
Ngā mihi nui
Ministerial Services Team
Ministry for the Environment – Manatū Mō Te Taiao
Email: [3][MFE request email] Website: [4]www.mfe.govt.nz
8 Willis Street, Wellington Central, Wellington 6011
References
Visible links
1. https://urldefense.com/v3/__http:/www.mf...
2. mailto:[MFE request email]
3. mailto:[MFE request email]
4. https://urldefense.com/v3/__http:/www.mf...
From: Nigel Gray
Dear Service Hub,
Kia ora Ministerial Services Team
I am writing to clarify a notification I received from FYI.org.nz on the evening of 28 April. The FYI system re-sent the same response bundle originally provided on 14 April.
To avoid any misunderstanding, I would appreciate confirmation that this re-send was not intended as the response to my new request dated [insert date of your latest request].
Please confirm that my new request remains under active consideration and will receive a separate response with its own reference number and due date.
Ngā mihi Nigel Gray
Yours sincerely,
Nigel Gray
From: OIA
Ministry for the Environment
26 OIAD 00993 Nigel Gray Response.pdf
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Annex 1.pdf
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Hi Nigel,
Please find attached the Ministry's response to your OIA Request of 15
April.
Ministry for the Environment | Manatū Mō Te Taiao
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- Download a zip file of all correspondence (note: this contains the same information already available above).
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