Projects per year
Personal profile
Biography
I am a Royal Society Research Professor of Climate Change Science at the University of East Anglia.
I conduct research on the interactions between climate change and the carbon cycle, including those mediated by marine ecosystems. My research has contributed to understanding how climate change and variability affects the land and ocean carbon sinks, and understanding the drivers of CO2 emissions.
I Chair France's High Council on Climate and I am a member of the UK Climate Change Committee. These are independent expert councils that provide evidence-based advice to inform governments response to climate change.
Previously, I directed the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research during 2011-2018. I instigated the annual publication of the 'Global Carbon Budget' as part of the Global Carbon Project and directed the update for 13 years. I was also author of the 3rd, 4th and 5th assessment reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007.
I received multiple awards for my research, most recently the Dr A.H. Heineken Prize for Environmental Sciences 2020. I am a Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher since 2018. I was elected fellow of the Royal Society in 2016.
I am originally from Canada. I completed a B.Sc. in physics from University of Montréal (1990), an M.S. in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences from McGill University (1992), and a Ph.D. in oceanography at University Pierre et Marie Curie (now part of Sorbonne University, 1999). I also hold a one-year university degree in Anthropology from the University of Montréal (1987). I conducted research at Princeton University in the US (1992-1996) and at the Max-Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry in Germany (2000-2004). From 2005 to 2010 I was working jointly between the UEA and the British Antarctic Survey.
Read my scientific publications on Web of Science here.
Listen to the soundtrack of my life on BBC's Desert Island Discs with Lauren Laverne here.
Listen to my Life Scientific on BBC with Jim Al-Khalili here.
Reader Reuter's recount of my life-as-a-scientist by Maurice Tamman here.
Watch my TEDx talk here.
Follow me on twitter @clequere here.
Areas of Expertise
Interactions between climate change and the carbon cycle; carbon emissions; carbon budgets; modelling of ocean biogeochemistry including marine ecosystems.
Key Research Interests
My research focuses on the interactions between climate change and the carbon cycle.
My main research topic is to understand and quantify the strength of the ocean uptake of carbon dioxide (the "ocean CO2 sink") and how it evolves in a changing climate. My work includes the development and analysis of a global ocean carbon model (called PlankTOM) and of databases of marine biogeochemisty, and their use to understand the processes driving observed and projected changes. My research group has developed one of the most detailed representation of marine ecosystems in a global carbon model in the world. We are expanding this now to include additional mortality processes and look at the stability of marine ecosystems given the incredible pressures we put on the ocean environment.
Part of my research on the carbon cycle is focused on emissions of CO2 and their socio-economic drivers. I looked at how countries succeed (or not) to cut back their emissions. I also looked in detail at the temporary impact of COVID-19 on global CO2 emissions. Most of my research in that space is done through a prolific and stimulating carear-long collaboration with colleagues at the Global Carbon Project.
My interests are wide and I have worked sporadically on a range of other topics, including on the detection and attribution of ocean oxygen trends to climate change, the habitability of the planet, and sustainable development.
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
Network
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Seed funding a climate change stories repository – the Critical Decade
Tebboth, M., Le Quéré, C. & McNeil, J.
1/11/22 → 31/10/23
Project: Internal Funding › NERC Discipline Hopping
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The Critical Decade for Climate Change
Le Quéré, C., McNeil, J. & Tebboth, M.
1/10/21 → 30/09/27
Project: Training
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Frontiers of instability in marine ecosystems and carbon export (Marine Frontiers)
Le Quéré, C., Buitenhuis, E., Mayot, N., Sommer, A., Willis, D. & Wright, R.
Natural Environment Research Council
1/04/21 → 31/03/26
Project: Research
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Constraining the EvoLution of the southern Ocean-carbon Sink (CELOS)
Le Quéré, C., Heywood, K. & Harold, J.
Natural Environment Research Council
1/07/20 → 31/12/23
Project: Research
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Climate-Carbon Interactions in the Current Century
Le Quéré, C., Manning, A., De-Gol, A., Pickers, P. & Wright, R.
1/06/19 → 30/11/23
Project: Research
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Climate change and biospheric output: Large changes in global ecosystem productivity are set in motion by carbon dioxide rise
Le Quéré, C. & Mayot, N., 10 Mar 2022, In: Science. 375, 6585, p. 1091-1092 2 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
Open AccessFile8 Downloads (Pure) -
Temporary reduction in daily global CO2 emissions during the COVID-19 forced confinement
Le Quere, C., Jackson, R. B., Jones, M., Smith, A., Abernethy, S., Andrew, R. M., De-Gol, A., Willis, D., Shan, Y., Canadell, J. G., Friedlingstein, P., Creutzig, F. & Peters, G., Jul 2020, In: Nature Climate Change. 10, 7, p. 647–653 7 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile1173 Citations (Scopus)35 Downloads (Pure) -
Fossil CO2 emissions in the post-COVID-19 era
Le Quéré, C., Peters, G. P., Friedlingstein, P., Andrew, R. M., Canadell, J. G., Davis, S. J., Jackson, R. B. & Jones, M. W., Mar 2021, In: Nature Climate Change. 11, 3, p. 197-199 3 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile123 Citations (Scopus)20 Downloads (Pure) -
Drivers of declining CO2 emissions in 18 developed economies
Le Quéré, C., Korsbakken, J. I., Wilson, C., Tosun, J., Andrew, R., Andres, R. J., Canadell, J. G., Jordan, A., Peters, G. P. & van Vuuren, D. P., 25 Feb 2019, In: Nature Climate Change. 9, 3, p. 213-217 5 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Letter › peer-review
Open AccessFile204 Citations (Scopus)86 Downloads (Pure) -
Decadal trends in the ocean carbon sink
DeVries, T., Le Quéré, C., Andrews, O., Berthet, S., Hauck, J., Ilyina, T., Landschützer, P., Lenton, A., Lima, I. D., Nowicki, M., Schwinger, J. & Séférian, R., 11 Jun 2019, In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 116, 24, p. 11646-11651Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile68 Citations (Scopus)23 Downloads (Pure)
Datasets
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National contributions to climate change due to historical emissions of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide
Jones, M. (Creator), Peters, G. P. (Creator), Gasser, T. (Creator), Andrew, R. M. (Creator), Schwingshackl, C. (Creator), Gütschow, J. (Creator), Houghton, R. A. (Creator), Friedlingstein, P. (Creator), Pongratz, J. (Creator) & Le Quéré, C. (Creator), Zenodo, 13 Feb 2023
DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.7076346, https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7076346
Dataset
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Gridded fossil CO2 emissions and related O2 combustion consistent with national inventories
Jones, M. (Creator), Andrew, R. M. (Creator), Peters, G. P. (Creator), Janssens-Maenhout, G. (Creator), De-Gol, A. (Creator), Dou, X. (Creator), Liu, Z. (Creator), Pickers, P. (Creator), Ciais, P. (Creator), Patra, P. K. (Creator), Chevallier, F. (Creator) & Le Quéré, C. (Creator), Zenodo, 13 Sep 2022
DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.4277266, https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4277266
Dataset
Prizes
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Blaise Pascal medal, European Academy of Sciences, Earth and Environmental Sciences in Climate Change studies and policies,
Le Quéré, Corinne (Recipient), 1 Sep 2015
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur (France)
Le Quéré, Corinne (Recipient), 1 Jul 2019
Prize: Other distinction
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Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE)
Le Quéré, Corinne (Recipient), 1 Jan 2019
Prize: Other distinction
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Copernicus Medal from the Copernicus Gesellschaft
Le Quéré, Corinne (Recipient), 1 Jan 2013
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
Activities
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High Council on Climate (External organisation)
Corinne Le Quéré (Member)
27 Nov 2018 → …Activity: Membership › Public/government panel or group
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UK Climate Change Committee (External organisation)
Corinne Le Quéré (Chair)
Apr 2016 → 31 Dec 2025Activity: Membership › Public/government panel or group
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Global Carbon Budget (External organisation)
Corinne Le Quéré (Executive Member)
2006 → …Activity: Membership › Network, Working Group or Professional Association
Press/Media
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BBC Radio 4 (1/29/2023) - Prof Corinne Le Quere (ENV) mentioned (Jan 23)
29/01/23
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Press / Media
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City scientists named among top researchers (Nov 22)
21/11/22 → 23/11/22
3 items of Media coverage
Press/Media: Press / Media
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Carbon emissions from fossil fuels ‘climb to new highs’ and still rising (Nov 22)
1/11/22 → 22/11/22
365 items of Media coverage
Press/Media: Press / Media
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World close to ‘irreversible’ climate breakdown, warn major studies (Oct 22)
27/10/22 → 29/10/22
19 items of Media coverage
Press/Media: Press / Media
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Heatwaves, severe droughts cause Europe searing pain (Aug 22)
12/08/22 → 24/08/22
18 items of Media coverage
Press/Media: Press / Media