At be.Living, learning about the world is also learning to take care of it. Sustainability isn’t just a subject of study, but learning how to relate to oneself and others, and a way of being, thinking, and acting in community. It’s a daily exercise of awareness, presence, and responsibility, which is expressed in small gestures, relationships, and daily choices.

Leading Reconectta, our school’s partner consultancy, environmental engineer Lívia Ribeiro closely supports this journey, helping turn sustainability into a living practice that engages children, teachers, and families. In this interview, she talks about the importance of the COP (United Nations Climate Change Conference) in Brazil, the role of schools in building a possible future, and the transformative power of education.

be. Living: What is the importance of an event like the COP for the planet and for the planetary moment we are experiencing?

Lívia: The COP is the main international forum for countries to negotiate, discuss, and build agreements aimed at tackling climate change. It brings together about 200 nations around global decisions and commitments, such as the Paris Agreement. It’s a fundamental space of diplomacy, international politics, and shared responsibility. But the importance of the COP goes beyond the decisions made there. It generates a positive “side effect,” mobilizing civil society organizations, companies, and governments to create, in parallel, events, proposals, and solutions inspired by this meeting. In other words, the impact of the COP extends far beyond the conference rooms, it reverberates around the world.

be. Living: And what is the significance of COP 30 taking place in Brazil, especially in the Amazon? Does this bring us even closer to environmental issues?

Lívia: The fact that COP30 is being held in Brazil is historic, it will be the first time that the event takes place in the Amazon. The host country usually brings relevant topics to the debate, and in our case this means giving visibility to forests, native peoples, and biodiversity. Domestically, it’s a great opportunity for Brazil to position itself as a reference and leader in climate issues. At the same time, the event also sheds light on our local challenges. I’ve never seen so many people talking about the COP and climate change as I do now, and that’s a direct result of the event taking place here.

be.Living: How have the children received this news?

Lívia: The children have shown great interest. They want to understand what the COP is, who participates, how it happens. It’s beautiful to see this sense of belonging. Noticing something so important happening in their own country arouses curiosity, pride, and desire to act. This theme has bubbled up our conversations, actions, and dreams of the future.

be.Living: Could you talk a little bit about Reconectta? How did it come about and what is the purpose of this work within schools?

Lívia: Reconectta was born in 2015 and, this year, we celebrated 10 years of operation. Our purpose is to support schools and institutions in creating and strengthening a culture of sustainability, something that goes far beyond specific actions. We work so that sustainability is present in a systemic way, in physical spaces, in human relationships, in processes, and in pedagogical practices. We want it to be a living value, incorporated into everyday school life.

be.Living: What’s the importance of a school having a sustainability advisor today?

Lívia: I think it’s essential today. In the face of the challenges we face as a society and planet, of climate emergency, a school that is committed to sustainability is also accepting its responsibility to share knowledge on the subject and accepting its role as an agent of change in society. To educate is also to care for the Earth.

be.Living: What does this reveal about the institution’s values?

 Lívia: In the case of be.Living, this demonstrates a deep commitment to the present and future of children, people, and all living beings. It’s the school recognizing its responsibility to think of solutions to the world’s challenges and to form human beings who value respect, solidarity, cooperation, and planetary awareness. In addition, the World Economic Forum itself points to sustainability as one of the main skills of the future in the job market. So, when a school addresses this from an early age, it’s preparing children for the world, both professionally and personally.

be.Living: How does this advice happen in practice, in everyday school life?

Lívia: We work very closely together. We hold training meetings with the entire team: pedagogical, administrative, kitchen, maintenance, because everyone educates and everyone is part of the school’s culture. In addition to these collective training sessions, we carry out specific follow-ups with the teachers, group by group, throughout the year. These meetings serve to collectively create projects, tailor the curriculum, and integrate sustainability into everyday practices. We also work with the school’s leadership, helping to think about campaigns, events, and institutional actions. We monitor water and energy consumption indicators, produce diagnoses and reports, and support initiatives with families. It’s a complete program, which offers support on several fronts, always with the goal of inspiring and consolidating a broad, living, and participatory sustainability culture.

be.Living: The Science area of this year’s ASE (Arts and Sciences Exhibition) is inspired by COP30. How did this choice come about and how does it connect to be.Living’s pedagogical proposal?

Lívia: The ASE always reflects the school’s values and commitments. In previous years, the focus was on the relationship with nature and between people, and this year, when COP30 will be held in Brazil, the theme imposed itself naturally, but it didn’t come out of nowhere. This choice is the result of a process that has been going on for many years, of a school that thinks about sustainability, arts, and sciences in an integrated way. The topic closely aligns with the curriculum and the children’s experiences. To talk about climate change is also to talk about coexistence, consumption, ways of acting in the world. This year marks a special milestone as be.Living celebrates its 25th anniversary. The ASE—which is an initiative carried out with Elementary School children—will take on a slightly different format: the Arts will be featured during the event’s opening on Saturday, with Early Childhood Education also taking part. Throughout the week, the exhibition will focus on Science, encouraging us to reflect, revisit the past, and imagine possible futures. COP30 inspires this movement of awareness, from forests to the energy transition, from social justice to the circular economy. Elementary School children are being encouraged to take a stand, suggest solutions, and understand that the future is a collective creation.

be.Living: What message does be.Living leave for the school community by combining the celebration of its 25th anniversary with a reflection on the future of the planet?

Lívia: I believe that the main message is one of active hope. We recognize the challenges of the world, but we also deeply believe in the transformative power of education. be.Living embraces this commitment to help build a better world by nurturing children who think critically and act responsibly. Talking about sustainability is also guaranteeing the rights of children, the right to live on a healthy, balanced, and fair planet. This vision is rooted in everything the school does. It’s an essential value, which permeates daily life, projects, and relationships. And it’s this awareness that we want to continue to cultivate together, for all forms of life.