A new study has found that even if carbon neutrality is achieved by 2050, the risk of super typhoons and extreme rainfall will persist for the next 300 years.

A research team led by Professor Seunggi Min of the Department of Mathematics and the Division of Environmental Science and Engineering at POSTECH (Pohang University of Science and Technology) conducted climate simulations covering the entire globe over a 400-year period. The results showed that achieving only “carbon neutrality” would reduce typhoons in the Northern Hemisphere but increase them in the Southern Hemisphere, leading to an asymmetric distribution of typhoons. Furthermore, both the intensity of typhoons making landfall and the amount of rainfall they produce were found to increase significantly.

In contrast, under “carbon reduction” scenarios, the asymmetric distribution of typhoons disappeared within 200 years, and both typhoon intensity and rainfall decreased noticeably.

The findings indicate that “carbon neutrality,” which reduces greenhouse gas emissions to zero, is insufficient to prevent extreme risks associated with climate change. Instead, “carbon reduction,” which involves actively removing carbon from the atmosphere, is necessary.

Professor Min stated, “Even if carbon neutrality is achieved, the threat of powerful typhoons and extreme rainfall may persist for centuries. A more aggressive strategy to reduce carbon is needed.”

— Reported by Dongyoung Kim