As a climatologist and oceanographer, he works on the carbon cycle in the ocean, and is particularly interested in changes in the oceanic carbon sink. He also studies ocean acidification and the impacts of climate change on marine ecosystems. He has authored or co-authored over 200 scientific publications in international journals and was lead author of the 5th and 6th IPCC assessment reports. He was awarded the Prix des Sciences de la Mer by the Académie des Sciences and is a member of the Academia Europaea. He is the author of several books for the general public, including Les poissons vont-ils mourir de faim (et nous avec)? (Paris, le Pommier, 2010), and Les dessous de l'océan (Paris, le Pommier, 2012).
