What the book sets out to do

The authors write about “Our Far South”. The publisher’s description defines it as the part of New Zealand that stretches from Stewart Island almost uninterrupted to the South Pole. The same description calls the region both a home for precious wildlife and the engine room of the world’s oceans and climate.

The book began with an unusual experiment. In February 2012, Morgan took ten of New Zealand’s leading experts on the region and 40 ordinary Kiwis on a month-long voyage. Simmons joined him in questioning the experts about what they knew, and the book is the result.

It identifies three ways people could do lasting harm to the region:

• A race to exploit its resources, which the authors say has run for three centuries and may be about to intensify.
• Human pressure on biodiversity, including the survival of some species.
• Climate change, which the authors treat as the largest threat.

Who wrote it, and why they were credible choices

Gareth Morgan is a New Zealand economist, investment manager, author, commentator and philanthropist. Geoff Simmons worked as an economist for the Morgan Family Charitable Foundation and previously at the New Zealand Treasury. The pairing explains the book’s approach. It treats the far south as a question of policy, money and governance as well as wildlife and ice.

How it reads

The book was written for general readers and not for specialists. One reader review describes it as accessible and says it needs no background knowledge. The same reviewer says the authors communicate what they learned from the scientists they worked with. That is the book’s real strength. It gathers history, politics, economics, ecology and climate into one narrative that a non-scientist can follow.

It will not suit anyone looking for a technical reference. It is a primer written with a clear point of view and some Kiwi humour.

The Southern Ocean and the climate: what has changed since 2012

The authors’ main scientific point is that the Southern Ocean and the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) help regulate the planet’s climate. The ACC is the strongest ocean current on Earth. Scientific attention to it has grown a great deal since the book appeared.

A study by researchers at the University of Melbourne and the NORCE Norway Research Centre was published in Environmental Research Letters in March 2025. It used a high-resolution ocean model and projected that the ACC could slow by about 20% by 2050 under a high-emissions scenario. The researchers identified meltwater from Antarctic ice as the driver. The fresh water dilutes the salty ocean around the continent and changes the density structure that helps drive the current.

Theory had long suggested that warming would speed the current up. Observations over recent decades, however, show its strength has stayed relatively stable. The new model points to a more complex outcome.

The team also warned of knock-on effects. A weaker current could let more warm water reach the Antarctic ice sheet, which could add more meltwater and weaken the current further. The study’s authors stressed that more observation of this poorly monitored region is needed before the current’s response can be stated with certainty. They also said that cutting carbon emissions would limit ice melt and so avert the projected slowdown.

Why the argument still holds

When the book appeared, its claim was that most people, New Zealanders included, did not appreciate how much the far south matters. The ACC research suggests the point has become stronger. The region sits at the centre of questions about sea level, ocean heat and marine ecosystems.

The book’s other two concerns also remain live. Decisions about exploiting resources and protecting species in the Southern Ocean are still being made, and they still need informed public attention. Readers who want an accessible way into those debates will find the book a sensible place to start. Anyone who wants the latest ocean science should read it alongside recent research.

Frequently asked questions

Who wrote Ice, Mice and Men?

Gareth Morgan and Geoff Simmons are credited as the main authors. Some catalogue listings also name John McCrystal as a contributor.

What does “Our Far South” mean?

It is the authors’ name for the region running from Stewart Island through the subantarctic islands and Southern Ocean to Antarctica.

Is the book suitable for general readers?

Yes. It was written as a public-interest book, and a reader review notes that it assumes no prior knowledge.

Is the science still current?

The book dates from 2012, so it predates more recent work such as the 2025 ACC modelling study. Its central message about the region’s importance to the global climate is consistent with current research.