What can past climates tell us about current climate change?
Sediments and fossils contain information about the type of environment in which they were deposited, the study of these rocks can therefore tell us a great deal about past environments and climates. In the past there have been periods when the Earth was much warmer than today, such as in the Jurassic, and much colder than today, for example during ice ages. Examining the environment during these periods increases our understanding of the response of the Earth to changes in sea level and greenhouse gas concentrations, helping us to understand the potential impact of manmade environmental change.
