How Warm Is Too Warm for Antarctica? 3-Million-Year-Old Lessons from a Higher-CO2 World

Learn about Earth's climate history and future implications through a geological seminar exploring Antarctic marine sediments from 3 million years ago - the last time atmospheric CO2 levels matched current concentrations. Examine five key lessons derived from biological and geochemical evidence that reveal the vulnerability of Earth's cryosphere and oceans when global temperatures reached 2°C above pre-industrial levels. Understand the significance of the Paris Agreement's temperature targets and their relationship to ancient climate conditions as Dr. Christina Riesselman presents compelling data from Southern Ocean and Antarctic continental margin research. Gain critical insights into how relatively small temperature increases can have profound effects on Earth's climate systems, particularly in polar regions, while considering the implications for our warming planet as we approach and potentially exceed these crucial climate thresholds.