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School of Geography and the Environment

University of Oxford
School of Geography and the Environment

 School of Geography and the Environment

Dr Mark New

  • Tel: +44 (0)1865 275841
  • Email: mark.new-at-ouce.ox.ac.uk

Academic Profile

Mark New researches and teaches in the area of climate change, climate modelling, climate impacts and hydroclimatology. He has been involved over many years in the development of datasets of global climate that have underpinned climate change detection and understanding of climate influences on the terrestrial earth system. His publications in this area have been cited over 1000 times since 2001. He has been a contributing author and expert reviewer for the 2001 and 2007 IPCC reports, a consultant on climate change to organisations such the UNDP, BBC, WWF, UK Department for Transport and the International Water Management Institute. He is a member of the NERC Peer Review College and has served on both NERC and EPSRC grant panels.

Current Research

Current research centres on several aspects of climate change science.

  • Observed Climate Change. Dr New has led a number of projects that have yielded improved datasets of global and regional surface climate at annual, monthly and daily timescales; these datasets have underpinned a wide range of recent global change research results. This work is ongoing, with a particular focus on the Tropics and Europe, as well as accurate quantification of dataset uncertainties.
  • Tyndall Centre Program 1: Informing Climate Policy. Here his research is focussed on quantification of uncertainty in climate projections for regional and local impacts assessment and adaptation, and on robust approaches to impacts/adaptation assessment, with a particular focus on hydrological, hydrobioligcal and biodiversity impacts.
  • Climate Change and Processes at High Elevations. Work on observed climate change, climate processess and hdyrological response, in the Himalaya and Andes. In the Andes, he is an investigator in the Climate Change in the Andes research program, where he is leading the hydrological and climate modelling aspects of the project.
Research Team
  • Dr Lorenzo de la Fuente
    Climate Change in the Andes.
  • Dr Fai Fung
    Climate change impacts and adaptation: water resources and aquatic ecosystems.
  • Dr Ana Lopez
    Information content of climate model predictions and probabilistic impacts assessment.
  • Dr Carol McSweeney
    New climate observations for the tropics and quantifying observed climate uncertainty.
  • Kathryn Clark
    The Role of Landslides in the Peruvian Andes in Determining Forest Ecology and Carbon Transport.
  • Claire Davies
    High resolution probabilistic limate change impact prediction using grid and dataorid technologies.
  • Kate Halladay
    Climate and Andean montane forests: The role of clouds.
  • David Stainforth
    Uncertainty and confidence in predictions of climate change.
Recent Researchers
  • Nathalie Butt
    Tropical climatology and biodiversity.
  • Nynke Hofstra
    Changes in daily climate and runoff trends in Europe.
  • Gillian Kay
    Mechanisms of southern African rainfall variability in coupled climate models.
  • Natasha Kuruppu
    Impacts on water sector adaptation strategies.
  • Katja Lehmann
    Seasonal and diurnal hydrological patterns along a Cloud Forest gradient in the Peruvian Andes.
Selected Research Projects (since 2001)
  • Adaptive and Resilient Water Systems (ARCC-Water)
    In collaboration with Dr Fai Fung; Dr Suraje Dessai, Exeter University; Dr Julien Harou, UCL; Dr Will Medd, Lancaster University; Dr Steven Wade, HR Wallingford; and Prof. Rob Wilby, Loughborough University ; Financial support from EPSRC; (2009-2012)
  • Cloud mechanisms and dynamics in the Andes
    Financial support from NERC; (2007-2010)
  • Tropical Biomes in Transition, TROBIT
    In collaboration with Professor Yadvinder Malhi; Financial support from NERC; (2006-2010)
  • Developing County Level Climate Profiles
    In collaboration with Dr Carol McSweeney; Financial support from National Communications Support Programme (NCSP), UN Development Programme; (2008-2009)
  • Modelling Climate-Ecosystem Dynamics in the Andes
    In collaboration with Professor Yadvinder Malhi; Dr Lorenzo de la Fuente; Dr Toby Marthews; Financial support from Microsoft Research Ltd and Fell Fund; D.Phil. Students: Kate Halladay; (2007-2009)
  • Tyndall Centre Program 1: Informing Climate Policy
    Financial support from UK Research Councils; (2006-2009)
  • A framework for probabilistic climate change impacts assessment and policy decision-making
    Financial support from Environment Agency and Tyndall Centre; (2006-2009)
  • ENSEMBLES: Ensemble-based predictions of climate change and its impacts
    Financial support from European Union Framework Programme 6; (2004-2009)
  • Diversity–climate relationships in Amazonia
    Financial support from NERC Tied Studentship; D.Phil. Students: Nathalie Butt; (2004-2007)
  • Quantification of uncertainty in regional and local climate change
    Financial support from NERC and Daphne Jackson Trust; (2004-2006)
  • High resolution probabilistic climate change impact prediction using GRID and DataGRID Technologies
    Financial support from NERC eScience Studentship; (2003-2006)
  • Role of wetlands in ensuring water-security
    Financial support from NERC; (2004-2005)
  • Implications of 2°C global warming for the Arctic
    Financial support from WWF Arctic Programme; (2004)
  • Climate outlooks and agent-based simulation of adaptation in Africa
    Financial support from Tyndall Centre; (2002-2004)
  • Lapse-rate variations in the observational record
    Financial support from Max Planck Institute; (2003)
  • Reconstruction of oceanic precipitation
    Financial support from NERC; (2002-2003)
  • Climate data reconstruction for continental shelf areas
    Financial support from Max Planck Institute; (2001-2003)
  • Skye Visiting Research Fellow
    Financial support from University of Cape Town; (1999-2003)
  • Observed climate data for the World Water and Climate Atlas
    Financial support from International Water Management Institute; (1998-2001)

Teaching

Undergraduate Teaching
Postgraduate Teaching
  • MSc in Water Science Policy and Management Core Courses - lectures on "Climate Drivers and Processes", "Catchment Science", "Modelling Environmental Systems", "Techniques for Data Collection and Analysis".
  • MSc Option Course - "Climate Change and Impacts"

All Publications

View recent publications only

  • Butt, N., M. New, G. Lizcano and Y. Malhi (2009). "Spatial patterns and recent trends in cloud fraction and cloud-related diffuse radiation in Amazonia." J. Geophys. Res. 114. [Online Reprint].
  • Hofstra, N., M. New, C. McSweeney and M. Haylock (2009). "The influence of interpolation and station network density on the distributions and trends of climate variables in gridded daily data." Climate Dynamics: in press.
  • Hofstra, N., M. Haylock, M. New and P. D. Jones (2009). "Testing E-OBS European high-resolution gridded data set of daily precipitation and surface temperature." J. Geophys. Res. 114. [Online Reprint].
  • Lopez, A., F. Fung, M. New, G. Watts, A. Weston, et al. (2009). "From climate model ensembles to climate change impacts and adaptation: A case study of water resource management in the southwest of England." Water Resour. Res. 45. [Online Reprint].
  • McSweeney, C., M. New, G. Lizcano and X. Lu. (2009). "UNDP Climate Change Country Profiles: Improving access to climate change information for developing countries." Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society in press.
  • New, M. and C. McSweeney (2009). Climate and invasive species: the limits to climate information Invasive Species in a Changing Climate. C. Perrings. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press: in press.
  • Butt, N., Y. Malhi, O. Phillips and M. New (2008). "Floristic and functional affiliations of woody plants with climate in western Amazonia." Journal of Biogeography 35(5): 939-950. [Online Reprint].
  • Haylock, M. R., N. Hofstra, A. M. G. Klein Tank, E. J. Klok, P. D. Jones, et al. (2008). "A European daily high-resolution gridded data set of surface temperature and precipitation for 1950-2006." J. Geophys. Res. 113. [Online Reprint].
  • Hofstra, N., M. Haylock, M. New, P. Jones and C. Frei (2008). "Comparison of six methods for the interpolation of daily, European climate data." Journal of Geophysical Research - Atmospheres 113(D21110): doi:10.1029/2008JD010100.
  • Hofstra, N. and M. New (2008). "Spatial variability in correlation decay distance and influence on angular-distance weighting interpolation of daily precipitation over Europe." International Journal of Climatology published online: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/joc.1819. [Online Reprint].
  • Mahe, G., S. Girard, M. New, J.-E. Paturel, A. Cres, et al. (2008). "Comparing available rainfall gridded datasets for West Africa and the impact on rainfall-runoff modelling results, the case of Burkina-Faso." Water SA 34(5): 529-536. [Online Reprint].
  • Araujo, M. B. and M. New (2007). "Ensemble forecasting of species distributions." Trends in Ecology & Evolution 22(1): 42-47. [Online Reprint].
  • Botkin, D. B., H. Saxe, M. B. Araujo, R. Betts, R. H. W. Bradshaw, et al. (2007). "Forecasting the effects of global warming on biodiversity." Bioscience 57(3): 227-236. [Online Reprint].
  • New, M., A. Lopez, S. Dessai and R. Wilby (2007). "Challenges in using probabilistic climate change information for impact assessments: an example from the water sector." Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences 365(1857): 2117-2131. [Online Reprint].
  • New, M. (2007). Probabilistic regional and local climate projections: false dawn for impacts assessment and adaptation? Keynote Talk. IPCC-TGICA Regional Meeting: Integrating Analysis of Regional Climate Change and Response Options, Nadi, Fiji, IPCC Working Group 1.
  • Stainforth, D. A., T. E. Downing, R. Washington, A. Lopez and M. New (2007). "Issues in the interpretation of climate model ensembles to inform decisions." Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences 365(1857): 2163-2177. [Online Reprint].
  • Willis, K. J., A. Kleczkowski, M. New and R. J. Whittaker (2007). "Testing the impact of climate variability on European plant diversity: 320 000 years of water-energy dynamics and its long-term influence on plant taxonomic richness." Ecology Letters 10: 673-679. [Online Reprint].
  • Alexander, L. V., X. Zhange, T. C. Petersonn, J. Caesar, B. Gleasonn, et al. (2006). "Global observed changes in daily climate extremes of temperature and precipitation." Journal of Geophysical Research - Atmospheres 111: D05109. [Local Reprint].
  • Harrison, P. A., P. M. Berry, N. Butt and M. New (2006). "Modelling climate change impacts on species' distributions at the European scale: implications for conservation policy." Environmental Science & Policy 9(2): 116-128. [Local Reprint].
  • Kaplan, J. O. and M. New (2006). "Arctic climate change with a 2 o C global warming: Timing, climate patterns and vegetation change." Climatic Change V79(3): 213-241. [Local Reprint].
  • Kelin-Tank, A., T. C. Peterson, D. A. Quadir, S. Dorji, X. Zou, et al. (2006). "Changes in daily temperature and precipitation extremes in central and south Asia." Journal of Geophysical Research-Atmospheres 111(D16). [Local Reprint].
  • Lopez, A., C. Tebaldi, M. New, D. Stainforth, M. Allen, et al. (2006). "Two approaches to quantifying uncertainty in global temperature changes." Journal of Climate 19(19): 4785-4796. [Local Reprint].
  • New, M., B. Hewitson, D. B. Stephenson, A. Tsiga, A. Kruger, et al. (2006). "Evidence of trends in daily climate extremes over southern and west Africa." Journal of Geophysical Research-Atmospheres 111(D14). [Local Reprint].
  • Tadross, M. A., W. J. Gutowski, B. C. Hewitson, C. Jack and M. New (2006). "MM5 simulations of interannual change and the diurnal cycle of southern African regional climate." Theoretical and Applied Climatology 86(1-4): 63-80. [Local Reprint].
  • Bharwani, S., M. Bithell, T. E. Downing, M. New, R. Washington, et al. (2005). "Multi-agent modelling of climate outlooks and food security on a community garden scheme in Limpopo, South Africa." Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B-Biological Sciences 360(1463): 2183-2194. [Local Reprint].
  • Efthymiadis, D., M. New and R. Washington (2005). "On the reconstruction of seasonal oceanic precipitation in the presatellite era." Journal of Geophysical Research-Atmospheres 110(D6): art. no.-D06103. [Local Reprint].
  • Hulme, M., R. Doherty, T. Ngara and M. New (2005). Global warming and African climate change: a re-assessment. Climate Change in Africa. P. S. Low. Cambridge, Cambridge Univeristy Press: 29-40.
  • Mark, B. G., S. P. Harrison, A. Spessa, M. New, D. J. A. Evans, et al. (2005). "Tropical snowline changes at the last glacial maximum: A global assessment." Quaternary International 138: 168-201. [Local Reprint].
  • New, M. G. (2005). Arctic climate change with a 2°C global warming. Evidence and Implications of Dangerous Climate Change in the Arctic. L. D. Rosentrater, M. New, J. O. Kaplan, J. C. Comiso, S. Watt-Cloutieret al. Oslo, WWF: 1-15.
  • von der Heyden, C. J. and M. G. New (2005). "Differentiating dilution and retention processes in mine effluent remediation within a natural wetland on the Zambian Copperbelt." Applied Geochemistry 20(7): 1241-1257. [Local Reprint].
  • Barboni, D., S. P. Harrison, P. J. Bartlein, G. Jalut, M. New, et al. (2004). "Relationships between plant traits and climate in the Mediterranean region: A pollen data analysis." Journal of Vegetation Science 15(5): 635-646. [Online Reprint].
  • Mitchell, T. D., T. Carter, M. Hulme, M. New and P. Jones (2004). "A comprehensive set of climate scenarios for Europe and the globe." Tyndall Working Paper 55: 33pp.
  • von der Heyden, C. J. and M. G. New (2004). "Groundwater pollution on the Zambian Copperbelt: deciphering the source and the risk." Science of the Total Environment 327(1-3): 17-30. [Local Reprint].
  • von der Heyden, C. J. and M. G. New (2004). "Sediment chemistry: a history of mine contaminant remediation and an assessment of processes and pollution potential." Journal of Geochemical Exploration 82(1-3): 35-57. [Local Reprint].
  • New, M., R. Washington, C. Jack and B. Hewitson (2003). "Sensitivity of southern African climate to soil moisture." CLIVAR-Exchanges 8(2/3): 45-47. [Local Reprint].
  • Swann, M., R. Washington and M. New (2003). "Tropical oceans and the predictability of southern African rainfall in the HadCM3 coupled climate model." CLIVAR-Exchanges 8(2/3): supplementary paper. [Local Reprint].
  • von der Heyden, C. J. and M. G. New (2003). "The role of a dambo in the hydrology of a catchment and the river network downstream." Hydrology and Earth System Sciences 7(3): 339-357. [Local Reprint].
  • Booth, T. H., T. Jovanovic and M. New (2002). "A new world climatic mapping program to assist species selection." Forest Ecology and Management 163(1-3): 111-117. [Local Reprint].
  • Mitchell, T. D., M. Hulme and M. New (2002). "Climate data for political areas." Area 34(1): 109-112. [Local Reprint].
  • New, M. G., D. Lister, M. Hulme and I. Makin (2002). "A high-resolution data set of surface climate for terrestrial land areas." Climate Research 21: 1–25. [Local Reprint].
  • New, M. (2002). "Climate change and water resources in the southwest Cape, South Africa." South African Journal of Science 98(7/8): 369-376. [Local Reprint].
  • Patz, J. A., M. Hulme, C. Rosenzweig, T. D. Mitchell, R. A. Goldberg, et al. (2002). "Climate change (Communication arising): Regional warming and malaria resurgence." Nature 420(6916): 627-628. [Online Reprint].
  • Hulme, M., R. Doherty, M. New and T. Ngara (2001). "African climate change: 1900-2100." Climate Research 17: 145-168. [Local Reprint].
  • New, M., M. Todd, M. Hulme and P. Jones (2001). "Precipitation measurements and trends in the twentieth century." International Journal of Climatology 21(15): 1889-1922. [Local Reprint].
  • Carter, T. R., M. Hulme, J. F. Crossley, S. Malyshev, M. G. New, et al. (2000). Climate change in the 21st century - interim characterizations based on the new IPCC emissions scenarios. Helsinki, Finnish Environment Institute: 148.
  • New, M. and M. Hulme (2000). "Representing uncertainty in climate change scenarios: a Monte-Carlo approach." Integrated Assessment 1: 203-213. [Local Reprint].
  • New, M., M. Hulme and P. Jones (2000). "Representing twentieth-century space-time climate variability. Part II: Development of 1901-1996 monthly grids of terrestrial surface climate." Journal of Climate 13(13): 2217-2238. [Local Reprint].
  • Hulme, M., J. F. B. Mitchell, J. Jenkins, J. M. Gregory, M. New, et al. (1999). "Global climate scenarios for fast-track impacts studies." Global Environmental Change Supplementary Issue: S3-S19. [Local Reprint].
  • Jones, P. D., M. New, D. E. Parker, S. Martin and I. G. Rigor (1999). "Surface air temperature and its changes over the past 150 years." Reviews of Geophysics 37(2): 173-199. [Local Reprint].
  • New, M., M. Hulme and P. Jones (1999). "Representing twentieth-century space-time climate variability. Part I: Development of a 1961-90 mean monthly terrestrial climatology." Journal of Climate 12: 829-856. [Local Reprint].
  • Hulme, M. and M. New (1997). "Dependence of large-scale precipitation climatologies on temporal and spatial sampling." Journal of Climate 10(5): 1099-1113. [Local Reprint].
  • New, M. G. and R. E. Schulze (1996). "Hydrologic sensitivity to climate change in the Langrivier catchment, Stellenbosch, South Africa and some implications for geomorphic processes." Zeitschrift fur Geomorphologie Supplementband 107: 11-34.

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