Pollen data from a Levinson-Lessing Lake sediment core (74°28'N, 98°38'E) and Cape Sabler,Taymyr Lake permafrost sequences (74°33'N, 100°32'E) reveal substantial environmental changeson the northern Taymyr Peninsula during the last c. 32 000 14C years. The continuous recordsconfirm that a scarce steppe-like vegetation with Poaceae, Artemisia, and Cyperaceae dominatedc. 32 000-10 300 14C yr BP, while tundra-like vegetation with Oxyria, Ranunculaceae andCaryophyllaceae grew in wetter areas. The coldest interval occurred c. 18 000 yr BP. Lateglacialpollen data show several warming events followed by a climate deterioration c. 10 500 14C yr BP,which may correspond with the Younger Dryas. The Late Pleistocene/Holocene transition,c. 10 300-10 000 14C yr BP, is characterized by a change from the herb-dominated vegetation toshrubby tundra with Betula sect. Nanae and Salix. Alnus fruticosa arrived locally c. 9000-8500 14Cyr BP and disappeared c. 4000-3500 14C yr BP. Communities of Betula sect. Nanae, broadlydistributed at c. 10,000-3500 14C yr BP, almost disappeared when vegetation became similar tothe modern herb tundra after 3500-3000 14C yr BP. Quantitative climate reconstructions showLast Glacial Maximum summer temperature about 4°C below present and Preboreal (c. 10 00014C yr BP) temperature 2-4°C above present. Maximum summer temperature occurred between10 000 and 5500 14C yr BP; later summers were similar to present or slightly warmer.