A range of future climate scenarios are projected for higher atmospheric CO2 concentrations. The Pliocene epoch, ~5.3-2.7 Ma, has been proposed as an analogue for future climates, since it is characterised by CO2 concentrations which align with those recorded today and projected for the end of this century under moderate emissions scenarios. The Pliocene includes evidence for climate variability at orbital and sub-orbital timescales, including the development of glaciations, which offer important contrasts to the pronounced glacial-interglacial cycles of the Pleistocene. There is also the opportunity to investigate climate response to longer-term processes, including ocean gateway changes and tectonic uplift. In this session we invite contributions which examine climate variability within the Pliocene epoch at a range of scales. We welcome both data and model perspectives on ocean/atmosphere circulation, terrestrial environmental responses, ice sheets and sea-level, atmospheric CO2, biogeochemical cycling and/or ecosystem responses. We also encourage contributions linked to the PAGES-PlioVAR and PlioMIP2 programmes.