Environmental disasters are concrete examples of the difficult coexistence between man and nature and expose the fragility of ecosystems and the urgent need to rethink the development model of contemporary society. With a socio-political approach, the text analyses the relationship between man and nature and the environmental tragedies caused by global warming, denouncing the development process of industrialised societies and questioning the environment destroyed by the diversity of human actions. It discusses extreme weather events that have resulted in major environmental disasters, both in Brazil and in other countries, and provides quantitative data on the victims of these disasters. It reveals the unequal distribution of income and space that exposes the most vulnerable populations to the rigours of climate change and argues that man's predatory relationship with nature is the driving force behind environmental degradation and is based on the unethical interests of the market. He concludes on the importance of urban planning, the projection of more humane spaces and obedience to environmental protection laws.