2012 – Mariolopoulos-Kanaginis Foundation for the Environmental Sciences

From January 24 to 26, 2012 an international conference was held in the Nir Etzion region near Haifa, Israel titled “Climate Change and Forest Fires in the Mediterranean Basin: Risk Reduction and Management”. The conference was held on the occasion of a catastrophic fire, for the measures of Israel, in December 2010 which destroyed 50,000 acres of forest and rural areas, while 44 people lost their lives. The conference was coorganized by the Ministry of Environmental Protection of Israel, the Jewish National Fund (KKL) and the CIRCLE2 ERA-Net Program. The Mariolopoulos-Kanaginis Foundation, as a member of CIRCLE2 ERANet, participated in this conference with the Associate Professor of the Department of Geography on Natural Disasters, Aegean University, Mr. Kostas Kalabokides and the PhD candidate of the same laboratory, Mr. Paleologos Paleologou.
The MKF with the Union of Greek Physicists (UGPH) co-organized in Kamena Vourla the “14th Panhellenic Conference of Physics March 29-April 1st, 2012” on the topic: “Detecting the landscape of Modern Physics. Emerging areas and new trends.” The conference in which more than 150 speakers/ researchers participated and which was attended by more than 1,000 delegates from all over Greece and Cyprus, approached the latest trends and technologies emerging in modern physics through specific examples of their application, such as in environmental issues. http://eef.gr/sinedria-old/68-14panelliniofisikis.html
On April 2 – 4, 2012, within the framework of the MK Foundation’s programs aimed at raising students’ and citizens’ awareness of environmental issues, the professor of the Department of Geo-environment, University of Athens, Mr. Panagiotis Nastos, gave a series of lectures to teachers and students of Nafpaktos schools. The presentation to the local Secondary Education teachers took place under the auspices of the Educational Advisor of Aitoloakarnania.
The Board of Directors of the Mariolopoulos-Kanaginis Foundation for the Environmental Sciences decided on May 14, 2012 to award the Elementary School of the Training and Rehabilitation Centre for the Blind (KEAT), with the amount of 2,000€ for its educational work on Environmental issues.
The MKF, within the framework of the celebration for the International “Day of Plant Magic”, undertook and realized at the Training and Rehabilitation Centre for the Blind (ΚΕΑΤ) the construction of a model “Mediterranean Botanical Garden”, which includes more than 200 plant species of the Mediterranean flora as well as a small Vegetable Garden which was planted by the children themselves. The MKF’s objective was to help the children of ΚΕΑΤ to know our country’s plants through touch and smell and to give their teachers the opportunity to teach them the value of each plant. On May 18, 2012, a small celebration was organized at ΚΕΑΤ by the children and the Centre’s teachers and the garden was inaugurated under the auspices of European Plant Science Organization. The celebration was attended by the members of the Foundation Board and the children were addressed by the MKF Chairman Mr. C. Zerefos, the professor of the Agricultural University Mr. G. Skarakis, ΚΕΑΤ Director Mr. F. Katsoulis and the Governor Mrs. Vina Tsilimigaki.

From the left to the right, the MKF advisor Mr. V. Tritakis, the Secretary-General Mr. C. Repapis, Mr. V. Zabounis, the MKF Chairman Mr. C. Zerefos, the owner of the plant nurseries Mr. Th. Antemisaris, the KEAT Governor Mrs. P. Tsilimigaki, the Head of the Gymnasium, the MKF Director Mrs. E. Xirotiri and the Head of the KEAT Elementary School Mr. F. Katsoulis (Athens, 2012).

The MKF, in collaboration with the Greek Meteorological Society and the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, coorganized the “11th International Conference of Meteorology, Climatology and Physics of the Atmosphere, COMECAP 2012”. The Conference took place in Athens from May 29 to June 1, 2012 at the University of Athens. The objective of the Conference was to highlight contemporary research in a multitude of fields, such as: Extreme Weather Conditions, Weather Analysis and Forecast, Atmospheric Radiation, Agricultural Meteorology and Climatology etc. as well as to provide the opportunity for creative discussion and reflection on research issues concerning the international scientific community. The proceedings of the conference were published (electronic and printed editions) by Springer Publishing Co, ISBN 978-3-642-29171-5.
During the General Assembly of the Europa Nostra Organization, May 29 – June 2, 2012, the Europa Nostra 2012 Awards were presented in Lisbon, Portugal, by its Chairman Maestro Plácido Domingo and the E.U. Commissioner for Education, Multilingualism and Youth Mrs. Androula Vasileiou. The Mariolopoulos-Kanaginis Foundation for the Environmental Sciences, which has been one of the Organizations-Members of Europa Nostra since 2011, was represented by its Chairman Professor Christos Zerefos. At the award ceremony, Maestro Plácido Domingo announced Europa Nostra’s decision to celebrate the Organization’s 50th anniversary in Greece in June, 2013. Europa Nostra’s Chairman Maestro Domingo, Mr. K. Karras, Vice Chairman of the Greek Society for the Environment and Culture and the Secretary-General of Europa Nostra Mrs. Sneška Quaedvlieg-Mihailović discussed and accepted the proposal of the MKF Board as conveyed by its Chairman, to hold a joint celebration for the 50th anniversary of Europa Nostra and the 20th anniversary of the Foundation, both of which would coincide in 2013.
The Mariolopoulos-Kanaginis Foundation for the Environmental Sciences co-organized the third Greek-French Festival “Geo-Meetings” (“Les Rencontres de la Terre”) aiming to raise Environmental Awareness among students and citizens. Among the co-organizers of the 2012 Festival were also the Environmental Education Office of the First Directorate of the Ministry of National Education, Religious Affairs and Lifelong Learning and the Sports and Youth Organization of the City of Athens. The festival events took place from January 24 to June 5, 2012 under the auspices of the Municipality of Athens. The program focus for 2012 was “Our city tomorrow…. the CITY where I would like to LIVE”. Within the festival framework there took place roundtable evenings, educational workshops in “Patakis” Publishing House for students and teachers as well as a Competition of painting, photography, collage and poster with a text message for the schools of the Municipality of Athens. 60 schools took part in the competition and submitted 180 works. The Exhibition, which was held at “Melina” Cultural Centre of the Municipality of Athens, was visited by 700 students from Athens schools. The award ceremony was successfully held on June 5, 2012. It is worth noting that the abovementioned money prizes will be used for the environmental upgrading of the award-winning schools.
http://lesrencontresdelaterre.blogspot.gr/2012/#!/

The educator-art historian Mrs. Emmy Grammenou during the educational art workshops (Athens, 2012).

The educators who took part in the preparatory courses led by specialized art educators (Athens, 2012).

The MKF and the Hellenic Center for Marine Research (HCMR) co-organized the exhibition “The Planet is changing. Climate Change and a New Energy Future”. The exhibition, which was officially opened on June 6, 2012, was hosted in Cretaquarium of the Hellenic Center for Marine Research in Heraklion, Crete until the end of September, 2012. The exhibition was a creation of the American New York Museum of National History and it explained the scientific data concerning climate change in a way that they could be comprehended by visitors of all ages. The MKF Chairman Professor Christos Zerefos was the keynote speaker at the exhibition’s opening ceremony. The Exhibition was officially opened by the Minister of Environment, Energy & Climate Change, Professor G. Tsaltas.

MKF Chairman Professor Christos Zerefos and HCMR Chairman Professor K. Synolakis at the exhibition entrance (Heraklion, Crete, 2012).

The Mariolopoulos-Kanaginis Foundation for the Environmental Sciences, in collaboration with the National Metsovion Polytechnic School, the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and the National Athens Observatory, coorganized the “26th International Laser Radar Conference I LRC» at Porto-Heli on June 25 – 29, 2012. The Chairman of the Mariolopoulos-Kanaginis Foundation, Professor Christos Zerefos in his opening address referred to the history of Lidar in Greece. The conference was attended by approximately 300 scientists from more than 15 countries including France, Italy, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, the USA, Poland, Chile, etc. The conference proceedings were published in Holland by the European Space Agency (ESA-ESTEC) on behalf of the International Co-ordination group for Laser Atmospheric Studies (ICLAS).
On September 24-26, 2012 in Split, Croatia there took place the report and review of the European Program OBSERVE (FP7) where the Board member Mr. Vasileios Tritakis was invited to participate as a representative of the Foundation and of the Greek GEO Office. The meeting included a brief introduction regarding the experience drawn from the efforts made during the years of 2007/2008 by the Greek GEO Office and the Mariolopoulos-Kanaginis Foundation for the Environmental Sciences to organize a program similar to OBSERVE. The delegates were handed volumes with the proceedings of the conference titled “Earth Observation Services for Monitoring the Environment and Protecting the General Public” which was held in June, 2009 in Athens. The proceedings were published by the MK Foundation. (“Earth Observation Services for Monitoring the Environment and Protecting the General Public”, 2009)
On October 29, 2012, the Mariolopoulos-Kanaginis Foundation for the Environmental Sciences, in collaboration with the Academy of Athens (Research Centre for Physics of the Atmosphere and Climatology), the University of Stockholm, TEMES Company and the Navarino Environmental Observatory (NEO), co-organized an International Scientific Conference on: “The Greenhouse Effect in our planetary system”. The conference was held in the Central Hall of the Academy of Athens. The conference was addressed by Greek and foreign professors. The lectures included the development of theories concerning the greenhouse effect to the point of ascertaining that this has spectacular effects not only on Earth, but also on Venus and on Titan, the satellite of Saturn. The event was welcomed by the Chairman of the Academy of Athens Professor G. Kontopoulos, the Chair and Vice Chair of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, Professors Barbara Cannon and Stefan Claesson. Professor Cannon served as Chair of the Nobel Committee of the Swedish Academy. http://www.blod.gr/lectures/Pages/viewevent.aspx?EventID=185

Professor Christos Zerefos, Academician during his lecture in the central ceremony hall of the Academy of Athens (Athens, 2012).

The Chair of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and of the Nobel Committee, Mrs. Barbara Cannon and the Vice Chairman Mr. Stefan Claesson with the Chairman of the Foundation (Athens, 2012)

A panoramic view of the central hall of the Academy of Athens where the award ceremony for the 2012 WMO Professor Mariolopoulos Trust Fund Award took place (2012).

“WMO Professor Mariolopoulos Trust Fund Award” for 2012 was awarded at a ceremony held on October 29, 2012 in the central hall of the Academy of Athens. The Award for 2012 went in half to the following studies: “An Arctic CCN-limited cloud-aerosol regime” by T. Mauritsen, J. Sedlar, M. Tjernström, C. Leck, M. Martin, M. Shupe, S. Sjogren, B. Sierau, P.O.G. Persson, I.M. Brooks and E. Swietlicki, published in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (VOL. 11, 2011), and “Observed surface warming induced by urbanization in East China” by X. Yang, Y. Hou and B. Chen, published in the Journal of Geophysical Research (VOL. 116, 2011). The prize was presented to the winners by the representative of the World Meteorological Organization Dr. Geir Braathen Senior Scientific Officer of the Atmospheric Environment Research Division (AER), Research Department (RES) WMO.

Dr. X. Yang receiving the prize from Dr. Geir Braathen Senior Scientific Officer of the Atmospheric Environment Research Division (AER) Research Department (RES) WMO and the MKF Chairman (Athens, 2012).

On October 29-31, 2012 Lisbon hosted the Second Meeting of representatives from University and Foundation Laboratories taking part in the European program CIRCLE2 (Climate Impact Research and Response Coordination for a Larger Europe). At this meeting, it was decided to launch a research program on: “Adaptation Water-related Social and Natural Systems to Climate Change: Risks, adaptation measures, management options, costs and equity issues, in support to public policies” in which a Greek research group is going to participate funded by the Foundation. The MKF was represented by its Board member Mr. V. Tritakis.
From October 2011 to December 2012, the MKF and the Sparta Spiritual Home (Pneumatiki Estia) organized a pilot seminar of Environmental Awareness for Spartan citizens. The seminar included a series of monthly presentations by University professors covering a large part of environmental sciences. The material of these presentations was published by the Foundation. (Lectures from the seminar on environmental awareness. Sparta 2011-2012, 2013)
The MKF responded to the request made by the 95th Elementary School of Athens for the creation of a pilot botanical garden in its yard. The specific school has been actively involved in Environmental activities for years and they have made a collective and coordinated effort to convert the School Unit to a “Sustainable School”, which will have reduced waste, energy and water consumption.

A class of the 95th Elementary School with the MKF Director Mrs. E. Xirotyri and the teacher in charge (Athens, 2012).

On December 11, 2012 the MKF Chairman Professor Ch. Zerefos represented the MKF with his lecture at the 3-day educational seminar of the Environmental Education Centre of Stylida, Ypati. The Seminar was attended by educators from all over Greece, who are implementing programs of Environmental Education on climate changes with their students and they belong to the National Thematic Network “Climate changes- extreme weather conditions”.