It’s time for a new way to think about climate change. Agency, Artplan, and UNICEF have delivered it – right into the middle of the Esplanada dos Ministérios, a landmark avenue in Brazil’s capital where federal ministries and major civic demonstrations are located.

The installation, Unlikely Greenhouse – a classroom turned into a greenhouse, illustrates how extreme heat is threatening the learning conditions of millions of children and adolescents worldwide. The temperatures reached in many classrooms are a hindrance to learning – but ideal for plant life.

In schools across multiple regions – especially in tropical and low-income countries – extreme heat waves have emerged as a silent barrier, undermining concentration, academic performance, and the physical and emotional well-being of millions of students and teachers. The Unlikely Greenhouse transformed a life-size classroom into a literal greenhouse heated to 38°C (100°F), simulating the temperatures many children already face in real classrooms during heat waves. By allowing visitors to feel the discomfort caused by extreme heat, UNICEF aimed to demonstrate how rising temperatures are reshaping the basic experience of attending school and reinforce the urgent need for climate adaptation within educational systems.

“Children are disproportionately vulnerable to climate-related crises, including stronger and more frequent heat waves, storms, droughts, and floods. Excessive heat reduces children’s ability to concentrate and prevents both students and teachers from engaging meaningfully in learning. In addition, many children cannot even reach school when roads are flooded, rivers dry out, or school buildings are damaged or repurposed as emergency shelters,” stated Mônica Dias Pinto, UNICEF Brazil’s head of education.

“The purpose of this installation is to draw public attention to the urgent need for governments to adapt schools to current climate conditions, relocate institutions situated in high-risk areas, and develop solutions that ensure children can access education even during extreme climate events.”

Beyond the physical experience, children who visited the greenhouse were invited to participate in educational activities about how climate change affects daily school life.

“Unlikely Greenhouse starts with a direct question, How can scientific data be transformed into an experience that generates instant understanding? Instead of relying solely on verbal communication, we proposed a tangible encounter, a classroom where people can physically feel the impact of a heat wave. This brings the issue closer to the public and helps build a debate grounded in evidence and real perception,” explained Pedro Rosas and Pedro Galdi, creative directors at Artplan.

Behind the campaign is UNICEF data that shows a measurable decline in academic performance as temperatures rise. In 2024, at least 242 million students in 85 countries saw their education disrupted by climate-related events. In the same year, extreme heat became the leading cause of school closures, affecting more than 118 million students in April alone.

Research indicates that every 0.5°C (41°F) increase in classroom temperature can reduce student performance by around 1%. At 35°C (95°F), students experience significantly lower productivity, increased fatigue, and greater difficulty concentrating compared to learning environments between 20°C and 25°C (68°F–77°F).

Today, one in three children worldwide experiences four to five heat waves per year on average. This means prolonged exposure to extreme conditions, such as temperatures above 35°C for more than 80 days a year, periods of heat lasting at least five consecutive days, or spikes of 2°C (35.6°F) above the local average for several weeks. If no action is taken, by 2050 nearly every child on Earth – around 2.2 billion – will face recurring heat waves.

Credits:
Client: UNICEF Brazil
Client Team: Sonia Yeo, Camilo Leon, Ericka Galindo, Marina Massotte, Aline Tavares and Elisa Reis

Agency: Artplan Comunicação
General Director: Duda Moncalvo
Group Dreamers CCOs: Rafael Gil and Rodrigo Almeida
Artplan CCOs: Marcello Noronha, Rafael Gil & Rodrigo Almeida
Creative Directors: Pedro Rosas, Pedro Galdi, Thiago Diniz & Gustavo Dois
Art Director: Rhalybe Aizann
Copywriter: Gonzaga Neto
Assistant Art Director: Arthur Paraguassu
Content & Engagement: Bito Teles and Mariana Veloso
Head of Account Management, Business and Operations: Cacá Malta
Account Team: Clara Bianchi and Jorge Bueno
Planning Director: Fernando Torres
Planning Team: Rafael Leão
Operations & Project Team: Aurora Blotta, Victoria Calçada & Suellen Coutinho
Creative Data Team: Carolina Amorim, Daniel Carloni & Evellyn Bernardes
Group Dreamers Communications Director: Cláudia Nascimento
Group Dreamers Communications Team: Luciana Thomaz & Nayara Oliveira
Public Relations Agencies: Approach and Trama
Executive Production Director: Camila Naito
Production Directors: Felipe Cunha and Sayuri Hirako
Production Team: Jadson Douglas, Lilian Santos, Amanda Nobre, Marcela Motta & Glenyston Negreiros
Head of Influence: Eder Redder
Strategy & Curation Direction: Thaty Moura
Curation: Thaiane Vieira
Business Director: Carolina Emilio
Business: Pedro Leão
Account & Operations Direction: Cristiane Vieira
Account & Operations: Mariana Pinheiro

Production Company: Genco Film
Executive Production: Leyla Fernandes and João Carvalho
Direction: João Xoc
Production Coordination/Director: Diego Casmurro
Line Producer: Greg Conte
Local Production: Livia Abreu
1st Production Assistant: Vanessa Carvalho
1st AC: Vinícius Sousa
2nd AD: Rafa Fortes
Art Producer: Lindsey Valias
Set Assistant: Jorge Brito
Drone Footage: Erick Borges
Scenography: Mobicom Estruturas e Cenografia
Post-production Coordinator: Rafahell
Post-production & Colour Grading: Grupo Caipe
Audio Production Company: A9 Áudio
Music Direction: Apollo Nove
Account Management: Nicole Bonani
Coordination: Paloma Sol