Our Changing Climate: A Global Challenge
From greenhouse gases to sustainable solutions: understand the challenge and explore pathways to a greener future
View the Earth shot of the International Space Station. (NASA) (2016-04-19) by (NASA) Museu do Amanhã
Climate change is one of the greatest challenges of the century.
Caused primarily by human activities, they affect the climate, life, oceans, ecosystems, and societies. This exhibition presents the causes and consequences and invites reflection on paths towards a more sustainable future.
That being said, we must keep in mind that:
Weather is different from Climate
Weather
is the atmospheric condition in hours or days.
Example: Is it raining today? Is it cold now?
Climate
is the pattern over decades.
Example: The climate of the Amazon is humid equatorial.
Confusing the two leads to errors: A cold day does not mean that the planet is cooling down.
Atmosfera (2025) by by Pixabay Museu Catavento
The atmosphere is a layer of gases that surrounds the Earth
Composed of:
- 78% Nitrogen
- 21% Oxygen
- 1% other gases
It filters sunlight, transports water, moves winds, and regulates temperature. Without this layer of gases, life on Earth would not exist.
The greenhouse effect
Part of the sun's heat is trapped in the atmosphere by gases such as:
- Carbon dioxide (CO2);
- Methane (CH4);
- Water vapor (H2O);
- Nitrogen oxides (NOx).
Without the greenhouse effect, the planet would be freezing!
The problem arises when it becomes too intense.
LIFE Photo Collection
Global warming
The increase in greenhouse gases has raised the average temperature by 1.5°C since the pre-industrial period. 2024 was the hottest year in history, and CO₂ reached record levels.
Torres Elétricas (2016-11) by Pexels Museu Catavento
Human actions
Industries, transportation, deforestation, mining, and agriculture are accelerating global warming. The human impact on the climate is proven.
Climate is changing
Extreme events are becoming more frequent: droughts, floods, hurricanes, and heat waves. This leads to agricultural losses, food shortages, and displaced people.
Climate has changed before
Natural climate changes occur slowly, over thousands of years. 250 million years ago, the Permian extinction, caused by greenhouse gases from intense volcanic activity, eliminated more than 90% of species. Today, the changes are much faster and caused by us.
Ice melts, the sea rises.
The rise in global temperature is accelerating the melting of polar ice caps and glaciers. In Antarctica and Greenland, this process is raising sea levels, threatening coastal cities, polar species, and millions of people.
Oceano - mar aberto (2025) by adobe stock Museu Catavento
The role of the oceans
The oceans cover more than 70% of the planet's surface and can be important allies against climate change. They absorb heat and CO₂, regulate the climate with currents, and produce oxygen. Protecting the seas is essential to combat the climate crisis!
NATURE AT RISK
The climate is changing faster than many species can adapt. This causes forced migrations, extinctions, an increase in diseases and pests, and a reduction in marine life.
Enchentes (2025) by adobe stock Museu Catavento
Climate affects people.
The climate crisis doesn't just affect the environment; it brings real problems to our daily lives. It reduces food security, exacerbates water scarcity, and increases the number of climate refugees, who are people forced to leave their homes due to floods, droughts, or disasters.
Climate change in Brazil
Brazilian biomes are suffering severe impacts: droughts in the Amazon and Pantanal, risk of desertification in the Caatinga, loss of species in the Atlantic Forest, and extreme events in cities.
Energia eólica no mar (2018) by Reprodução da internet - Matéria de Sérgio Abranches para CBN Museu Catavento
Clean energy
The energy transition replaces fossil fuels with renewable sources. Solar and wind energy emit fewer greenhouse gases and help to curb global warming.
Cleaner sources for a better future.
Hydropower and biomass energy are also clean alternatives. Although they have an environmental impact, they emit fewer greenhouse gases than oil, gas, and coal.
ONU - Organização das Nações Unidas (2025) by Mathias Reding de Pexels Museu Catavento
International agreements
Climate has no borders, and emissions come from all countries. Therefore, global decisions are essential. COPs are the UN Conferences on Climate Change, which bring nations together to define future actions. In 2025, COP30 was held in Belém, Brazil.
ODSs - Objetivos de Desenvolvimento Sustentável (2025-10-28) by ods.pt Museu Catavento
Sustainable Development Goals
The 17 SDGs guide the world towards a just, healthy and sustainable future. Clean energy, resilient cities and life on land are essential in combating the climate crisis.
GOVERNMENT
OF THE STATE
OF SÃO PAULO
GOVERNOR
Tarcísio de Freitas
VICE-GOVERNOR
Felício Ramuth
SECRETARY OF STATE
OF CULTURE, ECONOMY AND CREATIVE INDUSTRIES
Marilia Marton
EXECUTIVE SECRETARY
Marcelo Assis
CHIEF OF STAFF
Viccenzo Carone
COORDINATOR OF MUSEUMS
Renata Araújo
CATAVENTO
CULTURAL
E EDUCACIONAL
PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD
Sergio Freitas
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Jacques Kann
FINANCIAL DIRECTOR
Rode Felipe Bezerra
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
Paula Paiva Ferreira
PROJECT DIRECTOR
Ricardo Pisanelli Rodrigues de Oliveira
GENERAL COORDINATION, ART DIRECTION AND EXHIBITION DESIGN:
Ricardo Pisanelli Rodrigues de Oliveira
Karina Terumi Kodaira Uratani
Ygor Barbosa
SCIENTIFIC CURATION,
RESEARCH AND TEXTS:
Rafael Adinolfi Araújo
Julia Oliveira Lourenço Martins
Manayra Ribeiro Casarteli
GRAPHIC DESIGN
:
Jaime Francisco Vilibor
Marcos Sussumu Murata
Milena Rodrigues Paludetto
VIRTUAL PROJECT
:
Luara Brito
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