The Paleogene was a dynamic interval in Earth's history, characterized by major changes in climate and evolution. Notably it was bounded by a mass extinction and a prominent change in the cryosphere. Between, occurred times of extreme greenhouse conditions, rapid carbon inputs to the ocean and atmosphere, non-linear transitions between climate states, and when many modern flora and fauna originate. Present concern regarding human induced climate change increasingly has forced the Earth Science community to understand the Paleogene, the most recent time interval with greenhouse gas concentrations similar to those expected for the coming millennium.
Inklings that the Paleogene was far more fascinating and perplexing than stated in the literature were presented at the first CBEP Meeting in 1989. Since, enormous strides have been made, through detailed stratigraphy, through proxy development, and through data-model comparisons. However, we now have a Paleogene world that truly challenges basic concepts for how Earth's surface operates over time, especially during intervals of global warming and major changes in carbon cycling. The primary aim of CBEP 2014 is to move our collective understanding of the Paleogene forward significantly
