The Societal Relevance of Paleoenvironmental Research

Abstract

As the third millennium opens, it is clear that human beings are having a discernible impact on global climate. Profound changes are underway, but their attribution to specific causes poses a problem. What fraction can be assigned to human activities? Can we be sure that human impacts are not subordinate to natural variability? How can we gauge the severity, likely long-term effects and possible consequences of changes that we are inducing? Part of the answer lies in the exploration of the past. By understanding how climate has varied naturally in geologically recent times, we enhance our ability to peer into the future. This objective, simply stated, belies a remarkable complexity in the climate system and its linkages with other environmental systems. This book addresses the challenge posed by this complexity with a view to shedding light on current and future changes.