New mission to explore ocean’s response to climate change

This June, scientists set sail on the research vessel Atalante for the OVIDE 2026 expedition, travelling from Portugal to Greenland. 

Dr Paola Moffa Sanchez of our Department of Geography is working alongside partners from France and Spain to study the North Atlantic – a region that plays a key role in regulating the climate. 

The mission builds on 24 years of research through the OVIDE programme (Observatory of Interannual to Decadal Variability in the North Atlantic) which tracks changes in ocean circulation and carbon storage. 

The expedition takes place against an unprecedented backdrop: the years 2023 to 2025 saw record-breaking surface temperatures in the North Atlantic. 

This raises questions about the potential consequences for ocean currents, the absorption and storage of carbon generated by human activity, and marine ecosystems. 

Tracking carbon in the ocean 

New research from the programme shows that human generated carbon stored in the North Atlantic has increased by more than a third over the past 30 years.  

This rise is linked to growing carbon dioxide emissions from human activity. 

The ocean acts as a major buffer against climate change by absorbing heat and carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.  

The North Atlantic alone takes in around 30 per cent of global ocean carbon uptake.  

During the expedition, the team of scientists will collect data on water temperature, oxygen and acidity levels from the surface to depths of over 5,000 metres.  

These detailed measurements will help scientists understand how carbon moves into the deep ocean and how this may change over time. 

Unlocking clues from the deep past 

Dr Moffa Sanchez will be part of a team looking at the past behaviour of ocean currents. 

For the first time in the OVIDE programme, the researchers will study tiny marine organisms called foraminifera and understanding what the composition of their shells can tell us about the environment they lived in. 

By analysing these microorganisms, scientists can then better piece together how the Atlantic circulation has changed over long periods of time and separate natural changes from human-driven climate change. 

This work is vital for improving climate models and predictions, helping to inform global climate change response efforts and protect marine ecosystems.  

Find out more 

• Learn more about the OVIDE programme and the OVIDE 2026 expedition. 
• Read more about the work of Dr Paola Moffa Sanchez. 
• Our Department of Geography is ranked sixth in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026 and third in the UK in the Complete University Guide 2027. Visit our Geography webpages for more information on our undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.