John Veron
Encyclopedia
John Veron, credited in research as J. E. N. Veron, and in other writing as Charlie Veron, is a wide-ranging specialist in coral
s and reefs
. He has three higher degrees in different fields, was former Chief Scientist at the Australian Institute of Marine Science
, and has many professional awards including the Darwin Medal
(International Coral Reef Society) and the Silver Jubilee Pin (Australian Marine Sciences Association). His home website provides links to his most recent books and electronic information products. The latter include "Coral Geographic" (maps of all the world's coral species) and "Coral ID" (an electronic tool for identifying corals). His latest book (2008) A Reef in Time: the Great Barrier Reef
from Beginning to End (Harvard University Press
) is a synthesis of many sciences for a popular readership. He presents the case that if humanity continues to produce carbon dioxide
at present rates for another decade, the coral reefs will be committed to wholesale destruction and the initiation of the sixth mass extinction. For further information see key words on these subjects and the "Coral Triangle Initiative", a major conservation program launched in Bali in December 2007.
Veron has criticised global warming
skeptics like Ian Plimer
, saying of Plimer's book Heaven and Earth
: "Every original statement Plimer makes in the book on coral and coral reefs is incorrect, and that "[Plimer] serve[s] up diagrams from no acknowledged source, diagrams known to be obsolete and diagrams that combine bits of science with bits of fiction."
In July 2009, Veron told The Times
that, due to global warming, "there is no way out, no loopholes. The Great Barrier Reef will be over within 20 years or so".
Coral
Corals are marine animals in class Anthozoa of phylum Cnidaria typically living in compact colonies of many identical individual "polyps". The group includes the important reef builders that inhabit tropical oceans and secrete calcium carbonate to form a hard skeleton.A coral "head" is a colony of...
s and reefs
Coral reef
Coral reefs are underwater structures made from calcium carbonate secreted by corals. Coral reefs are colonies of tiny living animals found in marine waters that contain few nutrients. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, which in turn consist of polyps that cluster in groups. The polyps...
. He has three higher degrees in different fields, was former Chief Scientist at the Australian Institute of Marine Science
Australian Institute of Marine Science
The Australian Institute of Marine Science is a state-of-the-art tropical marine research centre located primarily at Cape Ferguson, 50km by road east of Townsville in North Queensland, Australia. It was established in 1972, by the Commonwealth of Australia...
, and has many professional awards including the Darwin Medal
Darwin Medal
The Darwin Medal is awarded by the Royal Society every alternate year for "work of acknowledged distinction in the broad area of biology in which Charles Darwin worked, notably in evolution, population biology, organismal biology and biological diversity". First awarded in 1890, it was created in...
(International Coral Reef Society) and the Silver Jubilee Pin (Australian Marine Sciences Association). His home website provides links to his most recent books and electronic information products. The latter include "Coral Geographic" (maps of all the world's coral species) and "Coral ID" (an electronic tool for identifying corals). His latest book (2008) A Reef in Time: the Great Barrier Reef
Great Barrier Reef
The Great Barrier Reef is the world'slargest reef system composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over 2,600 kilometres over an area of approximately...
from Beginning to End (Harvard University Press
Harvard University Press
Harvard University Press is a publishing house established on January 13, 1913, as a division of Harvard University, and focused on academic publishing. In 2005, it published 220 new titles. It is a member of the Association of American University Presses. Its current director is William P...
) is a synthesis of many sciences for a popular readership. He presents the case that if humanity continues to produce carbon dioxide
Greenhouse gas
A greenhouse gas is a gas in an atmosphere that absorbs and emits radiation within the thermal infrared range. This process is the fundamental cause of the greenhouse effect. The primary greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere are water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone...
at present rates for another decade, the coral reefs will be committed to wholesale destruction and the initiation of the sixth mass extinction. For further information see key words on these subjects and the "Coral Triangle Initiative", a major conservation program launched in Bali in December 2007.
Veron has criticised global warming
Global warming
Global warming refers to the rising average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans and its projected continuation. In the last 100 years, Earth's average surface temperature increased by about with about two thirds of the increase occurring over just the last three decades...
skeptics like Ian Plimer
Ian Plimer
Ian Rutherford Plimer is an Australian geologist, academic, professor of mining geology at the University of Adelaide, and a director of four mining companies...
, saying of Plimer's book Heaven and Earth
Heaven and Earth (book)
Heaven and Earth: Global Warming – The Missing Science is a popular science book published in 2009 and written by Australian geologist, professor of mining geology at Adelaide University, and mining company director Ian Plimer...
: "Every original statement Plimer makes in the book on coral and coral reefs is incorrect, and that "[Plimer] serve[s] up diagrams from no acknowledged source, diagrams known to be obsolete and diagrams that combine bits of science with bits of fiction."
In July 2009, Veron told The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
that, due to global warming, "there is no way out, no loopholes. The Great Barrier Reef will be over within 20 years or so".