The Winds of Change

A pioneering program to monitor greenhouse gases at the surface of the oceans and collect ground-breaking and new ground data in order to enable the global scientific community to re-evaluate the role of the oceans in the carbon cycle and the issue of climate change

Launched in December 2017 onboard Fleur de Passion, the new scientific programme The Winds of Change developed in partnership with the the University of Geneva, Faculty of Science, entails the real-time monitoring and mapping of greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide and methane) at the surface of the oceans in order to re-evaluating the role of the oceans in the carbon cycle in the general context of climate change.

As Prof. Daniel McGinnis, head of the Aquatic Physics group of Department F.-A. Forel of the University and project manager, explains:

To perform program, Fleur de Passion is equipped with a ultraportable greenhouse gas analyzer with a sampling port positioned 16 meters above the sea surface on the aft mast and automatically collects methane and carbon dioxide readings every 1 minute. The boat will hence fulfill her mission for the climate until the return of the expedition back to Seville in September 2019.