It has been thirty years since the first ice core measurements of the low level of atmospheric carbon dioxide during the last glacial (Delmas et al., 1980). Since that time there has been ever increasing development of ice core, palaeoceanographic and other palaeo records, as well as modelling efforts to understand the mechanisms of glacial-interglacial atmospheric CO2 perturbations. While there has been considerable progress recently, there are still major questions to be answered. This session will look at advances and current issues in carbon cycle dynamics over the Quaternary. We welcome presentations in subject areas ranging from understanding the glacial-interglacial CO2 range, variability between interglacials, mechanisms of change during the Holocene, and shorter temporal variability, and which tackle these issues from either a palaeo-data or earth system modelling perspective.