"There is no Jangma, only tropical downpours"... Why 2024 could be the coolest summer

If climate change were merely a phenomenon where the Earth's average temperature rises, it would be difficult to fully explain the extreme natural disasters we are witnessing. According to the video "Kim Eung-bin's Eung Biology," the essence of climate change is the phenomenon of increasing thermal energy held by the Earth. Experts explain that as this energy accumulates, not only does the possibility of natural disasters occurring increase, but once a disaster occurs, it leads to a situation where it spreads even larger without being contained.

"Tropical downpours instead of Jangma"... Increased volatility in climate disasters

Science writer Mok Jeong-min, who appeared in the video, explains the recent weather anomalies we are experiencing with the keyword "volatility." A representative example is the record-breaking heavy rain that flooded the area near Gangnam Station in Seoul in 2022. In the past, there existed a pattern called "Jangma" where it rained for a certain period, but now, weather phenomena in the form of "needle rain," which pours down on specific areas for a short time, are becoming frequent. Writer Mok diagnosed, "The term Jangma may no longer be necessary," adding, "We have reached a situation where we should call it localized heavy rain or tropical downpours."

Wildfires are also directly within the influence of climate change. The massive fires that occurred in Hawaii, causing numerous casualties among wildlife and humans, and the wildfires in LA, United States, are results of the increased frequency and scale caused by forests becoming dry due to climate change. In particular, the video quoted a warning from a NASA climate expert in 2024 stating, "This year will be the coolest summer," suggesting that climate change is already progressing to an irreversible level.

The link between Emerging Infectious Diseases (EID) and climate change

Climate change goes beyond a simple matter of weather and leads to biological problems that threaten human health. From a microbiological perspective, the issue most closely related to climate change is the emergence of 'Emerging Infectious Diseases (EID)'. EID does not mean entirely new diseases, but rather that existing pathogens are re-emerging due to environmental changes.

The video mentioned the case where the CDC in the United States launched an academic journal in 1995 to respond quickly to EID, conveying concerns about how ecosystem disturbances caused by climate change relate to the spread of infectious diseases. This is because as climate change progresses, the habitats of pathogens change or contact with humans becomes more frequent, increasing the possibility of new infectious diseases emerging.

'Overshoot Day', pulling forward the resources of future generations

'Overshoot Day' is the day when the amount of resources the Earth can regenerate in a year is exceeded. This is an indicator showing how quickly humanity is consuming the Earth's resources through its ecological footprint. According to the video, the Overshoot Day for 2026 was July 30.

This means that humanity has already consumed all of the Earth's resources by the end of July, and as of September, we are in a state of pulling forward the resources that future generations should use. In particular, South Korea is one of the countries with high per capita energy consumption, so it cannot help but react sensitively to this speed of resource depletion. While emphasizing that science and technology must suggest a direction to solve climate change, Writer Mok added that technology alone is not enough and that changes in lifestyle for greenhouse gas reduction and international cooperation must be carried out in parallel.

Experts advise that it is necessary to face the reality of the climate crisis and have the courage to reflect on government policies and individual lives based on scientific evidence. The core of this discussion is to be wary of the "rosy outlook" that science and technology will solve all problems and to check current consumption patterns for a sustainable Earth.