The increasing concern about extreme weather events has become a defining global challenge. From carbon border adjustment mechanisms to emerging climate-related trade barriers, the transition toward a low-carbon economy is accelerating and reshaping the global landscape. Given the severity and urgency of the climate crisis, delaying carbon-neutral transformation is no longer an option.

Achieving carbon neutrality requires the seamless integration of three essential engines: robust climate policies that generate demand for greenhouse gas mitigation; innovative technologies that propel deep decarbonization; and financial mechanisms that unlock the power of capital markets. Equally vital is cultivating a new generation of leaders who can navigate these interconnected systems with agility and insight.

Today, this integrated approach is evolving even further. Leading universities around the world are reorganizing their education and research agendas around a new paradigm—one that our Graduate School has been at the forefront of defining—Net-Zero Intelligence. Net-Zero Intelligence leverages data- and AI-driven analyses, along with advanced technological systems, to deliver optimal strategies and actionable technological solutions that support enterprises, cities, and nations in achieving their net-zero and green-growth goals. It represents not just a suite of tools, but a transformative shift that intelligently reshapes how society understands, plans, and executes the transition toward a sustainable future.

In response to this global need, KAIST established the Graduate School of Green Growth and Sustainability in 2023 to break down barriers between disciplines and cultivate deep, transdisciplinary expertise. By combining climate science, policy, finance, data systems, and AI, we aim to create knowledge that delivers scalable environmental, economic, and social impact. Building on this foundation, our school is now pioneering net-zero intelligence as a core intellectual framework—advancing data-driven solutions, intelligent policy design, and innovation ecosystems that can accelerate national and global green growth.

In these exceptional times, exceptional human talent is required. Our commitment is to nurture the next generation of leaders capable of shaping resilient, data-driven, and intelligent pathways to a net-zero world. We remain dedicated to becoming a world-class institution in education and research, and to leading the way in global green growth through the power of net-zero intelligence.