CHRISTOS S. ZEREFOS

Secretary General, Academy of Athens; Climate Envoy for Greece; Head, Research Centre for Atmospheric Physics and Climatology, Academy of Athens, Greece, zerefos@geol.uoa.gr.

A brief curriculum vitae and major achievements of Christos Zerefos

Christos Zerefos is the Head of the Research Centre for Atmospheric Physics and Climatology of the Academy of Athens. He has served as Professor of Atmospheric Physics at the Universities of Thessaloniki and Athens, Visiting Professor at the University of Boston and at the University of Minnesota as a Fulbright Scholar, as well as a Scientific Collaborator (Samarbeidspartnere) at the University of Oslo.

He is a member of:

  • The Academy of Athens (2007) (Regular Member).
  • The Academia Europaea (2007) (Regular Member).
  • The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters (1998) (Foreign Member).
  • The European Academy of Sciences (2010) (Regular Member).
  • The Russian Academy of Natural Sciences (2009) (Corresponding Member).
  • The Georgian Academy of Natural Sciences (2009) (Regular Member).
  • The International Academy of Astronautics (2008) (Regular Member).
  • The American Geophysical Union (AGU) (2000) (Life Member).
  • The European Geosciences Union (EGU) (2018) (Life Member).
  • The Institute of Physics (UK, Ireland) (2002) (Fellow).

Has been awarded as:

  • Honorary Professor of the Physics Department of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTh.) (2018).
  • Honorary Doctor (Honorary Doctorate Degree) of the School of Sciences of the University of Patras (2016).
  • Honorary Doctor (Honorary Doctorate Degree) of the Democritus University of Thrace (2023).
  • Honorary Doctor (Honorary Degree of Doctor of Humane Letters) of the University Division of the American College ANATOLIA (2008).
  • Professor Emeritus of the Faculty of Geology and Geoenvironment of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (2010).

Christos Zerefos began his scientific career in the early ‘70s and in the past five decades, he founded from zero the following international and national research and educational centers:

  1. The Laboratory of Atmospheric Physics (LAP) of the Physics Department of AUTh. (1981).
  2. The WMO Northern Hemisphere Ozone Mapping Center of the UN World Meteorological Organization, LAP, AUTh. (1991).
  3. The Postgraduate Programme in “Environmental Physics”, AUTh. (1993).
  4. The UNESCO Chair on Natural Hazards at the National Observatory of Athens (2006-2020).
  5. The Greek Group on Earth Observations (GEO) Office at the National Observatory of Athens (2007).
  6. The Museum of Geoastrophysics in the Sina Building of the National Observatory of Athens (2008).
  7. The Navarino Environmental Observatory (NEO) in Messinia in collaboration with the University of Stockholm and TEMES S.A. (2009).
  8. The Center for the Environmental Effects on Health of the Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens (2013).

Professor Zerefos became known worldwide for his research on the medium- and long-term variability in the ozone layer, ultraviolet solar radiation and the stratosphere, as well as the interaction of climate and physicochemical parameters of the atmosphere on a global scale. He has supervised 55 Master’s theses and more than 30 doctoral dissertations, while he has published more than 250 scientific papers in peer-reviewed scientific journals of high impact, in the field of Atmospheric Physics and Climatology, which have received significant international recognition. In addition, he has co-authored dozens of scientific reports on a European and global level as well as educational and general reference textbooks. His work has been recognized in thousands of articles by other researchers, a number of which have praised his work. He has also presented more than 500 scientific papers at international conferences. More than 15 of his collaborators are professors at universities in Greece and abroad. He has coordinated or participated in more than 60 competitive research projects of high prestige, which were financed by international organizations, as well as in a significant number of programs financed by Greek institutions. Scientists and personalities from all over the world participated in all of his research programs.

In the last fifty years, he has been honored with high distinctions:

  • He has been decorated by the President of the Hellenic Republic with the Medal of the Commander of the Order of Honour (2020).
  • He has been decorated by the French Government with the Decoration of Commandeur dans l’ordre des Palmes académiques (2015).
  • He has been honored by the European Academy of Sciences with the “Blaise Pascal Medal” (2015).
  • He has been honored by the Balkan Physical Union with the Medal of Honour “Ioan Ursu Medal” (2018).
  • He has been honored with the “Yoram Kaufman Award” of the American Geophysical Union (2015).
  • He has been honored with the “Editor’s Citation for Excellence in Refereeing for JGR-Atmospheres, American Geophysical Union” (1997).
  • He has been honored with the Global Ozone Award of the United Nations Environment Programme on the 10th Anniversary of the Montreal Protocol (1997), which is a leading distinction worldwide in the field of ozone layer protection.
  • In the past 30 years, he has co-authored or reviewed almost all scientific reports on ozone depletion issued by the World Meteorological Organization and the Environment Program of the United Nations.
  • Also, he has received three Honorable Mentions from the UN Environment Program (UNEP) for his contribution to the scientific assessments of the Montreal Protocol (1987), in the years 1995, 1999 and 2012.
  • He has received an Honorary Distinction from the UN Environment Program (UNEP) (January 2008) and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) (April 2008) for his contribution as Review Editor of Chapter 5 to the IPCC Aviation Report (1999). The 2007 Nobel Peace Prize has been shared between IPCC and the former Vice President of USA, Al Gore. Professor Zerefos continued serving to IPCC as Reviewer (IPCC Report on Extreme Events, 2012).
  • He was elected unanimously for two terms (2008–2012 and 2012-2016) as President of the International Ozone Commission and in 2016 he was unanimously declared its Honorary Member.
  • In 2005, he was elected President of the National Observatory of Athens (NOA). During his tenure, in addition to modernizing the Institution, he supervised the renovation of Aeginitis’ Library and the other historical buildings of the NOA, for which he received the “European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage / Europa Nostra Award” on behalf of NOA (2010).

He has received many other distinctions in Greece and abroad, such as:

  • The Gold Medal of the Municipality of Thessaloniki (2008) and the Medal of the City of Athens (2010).
  • The title of Honorary Citizen of Megara for his overall work on the protection of the environment (2010).
  • He has been honored with the Award “I. Kapodistrias for the Sciences, Letters and Arts” of the Municipality of Nafplio (2022).
  • Honourable Mention from the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences (2009).
  • Embirikeion Award (1979).
  • The Board of Directors of the Sivitanidios School, in a special ceremony, renamed the Vocational Training Institute (ΙΕΚ) of the School to: IEK “Christos S. Zerefos” (2009).
  • Distinction of the Archon Grand Teacher of the Patriarchate of Alexandria by the Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, Theodore II (2007).
  • Honorary Member and Medal of the Panhellenic Association of Friends of the Archdiocese of Athens (2009).
  • Honorary member of the Hellenic Society of Translators of Literature (2008).
  • Honorary Plaque and Distinction from the Minister of Education and Culture of the Republic of Cyprus for his scientific contribution and collaboration with the Cypriot research community and a Distinction from the Cyprus Research Promotion Foundation for his valuable contribution to the research activities of Cyprus and especially to the research cooperation program with distinguished foreign scientists (2008).
  • Distinction “Distinguished Hellenes” for his contribution to the international prominence and promotion of the country, during the 10th IT and Telecommunications Conference (Greek ICT Forum) (2008).
  • Honorary Distinction from the Rector and the Research Committee of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (2008).
  • Distinction from the Hellenic Committee of Hydrogeology for his contribution to the Science of Hydrogeology (2008).

He has served or serves as:

  • President of the International Ozone Commission for two consecutive terms (2008–2012 and 2012–2016), unanimously elected both times.
  • President of the National Observatory of Athens (2005-2010).
  • President of the General Assembly of the Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation (HFRI), elected unanimously (2017-2018).
  • Vice-Chair of the National Council for Research and Technology (N.C.R.T.) (2014-2016).
  • Coordinator of the Climate Change Impacts Study Committee (CCISC) of the Bank of Greece (since 2008).
  • President of the Balkan Physical Union for two consecutive terms (1997–2000 and 2000–2003), unanimously elected both times.
  • President of the National Geodesy and Geophysics Committee of the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG) (since 2008).
  • Council Member of the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG Council) (since 2016).
  • President of the Mariolopoulos-Kanaginis Foundation for the Environmental Sciences (since 2004).
  • Member of the Environment Steering Panel (ESG) of the European Academies Science Advisory Council (EASAC) (since 2002).
  • Member of the BοD of the Hellenic National Commission for UNESCO (since 2006).
  • President of the BοD of the “Biomedical Sciences and Technologies S.A.” of the Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens (since 2008).
  • Member of the High-Level Working Group of the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) (since 2008).
  • National Delegate of the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) (since 2005).
  • Climate Envoy for Greece (FEK 4404/29.11.2019).
  • Secretary General, Academy of Athens (since 2020).