Fossils show huge carbon emissions harm forests rather than greening the planet

A peer-reviewed study published in Science using 56-million-year-old fossilized leaf cells from the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum reconstructs ancient forest canopies and shows that massive carbon emissions harm and wither forests rather than greening the planet, offering parallels for modern global warming.

• Analysis of fossilized leaf cells from the PETM period shows carbon emissions harm forests.
• The findings counter administration claims that fossil fuel pollution greens the planet.
• Study published in Science reconstructs tree canopy of 56 million years ago using fossilized leaf cells
• Focuses on the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum as an analogue for modern global warming