THE HOTEST MONTH ON EARTH

THE HOTTEST MONTH ON EARTH

August 11, 2023 | Native Children’s Survival

The world's news has reported July 2023 to be the hottest month ever recorded. Scorching heat, wildfires, melting ice caps, floods, and toxic air are threatening Mother Earth and the sustenance and livelihoods of all our relations. The gravity of these weather conditions is a call to consciousness for the restoration of life in balance and a reminder that our actions, or lack thereof, have consequences, and we are accountable.

As these unprecedented weather conditions move through August, an auspicious occurrence of two Supermoons brings a new meaning to the expression, "once in a blue moon." Following the appearance of the Super Sturgeon Moon on August 1, a rare Super Blue Moon will emerge on August 30. An optimistic opportunity of ceremony and prayer for introspection and readiness for what is to come is at hand.

While Mother Earth experiences a necessary purification, we can anticipate more frequent and intense weather events than ever before. The increasingly severe effects of extreme weather occurrences will contribute to growing social unrest, dis-ease, and climate chaos. This intensification will be particularly noticeable during these trying times marked by prophecy and pandemic.

Indigenous Peoples, traditional and modern science, and our wildlife relatives are sounding the alarm that we must acknowledge and respect the laws of nature. Conserving natural resources and safeguarding Mother Earth from further harm is not a choice but an essential responsibility if we hope to continue thriving as a species.

Along the Xingu River, where savannah plains meet the Amazon Rainforest, our Kayapo brother, Chief Raoni Metuktire, warns of disaster if deforestation continues. Every year, 4.7 million hectares of forests, an area larger than Denmark, are lost to deforestation. From the four corners of Turtle Island, Hopi prophecies warn that if human beings fail to heed the warnings, this world will be destroyed, just as previous worlds were destroyed. It is crucial to comprehend these forebodings as we each hold responsibility for our part in the delicate web of life.

Global warming and climate change are real and urgent issues. NASA reports that the polar ice caps are melting rapidly at 9% per decade, and scientists predict that the Arctic will be ice-free by 2040 due to rising global temperatures. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) forewarns that sea levels could rise by up to 23 inches by 2100.

Antarctica, located at the South Pole, holds about 90% of the world's ice. This ice is mainly freshwater, our global supply. The ice layer is impressively thick, measuring roughly 7,000 feet, and covers a surface area of nearly 14 million square kilometers, equivalent to the size of the United States and Mexico combined. Antarctica is experiencing a significant ice mass loss, with an average rate of around 150 billion tons annually. This loss contributes to the ongoing rise in sea levels. If the entire ice mass were to melt, sea levels could rise to 200 feet.

The North Pole is covered by a floating pack of ice that rests just over the Arctic Ocean. This ice melts and freezes with the changing seasons. Even though the remaining ice can be as thick as 3 to 4 meters, its melting won't affect our sea levels.

The Greenland ice sheet is approximately 650,000 square miles. Greenland is losing about 270 billion tons of its ice sheet annually, increasing the sea level significantly. If all its ice melts, the sea will rise by 20 feet.

If Arctic ice continues to disappear, the oceans will absorb 80% of the sunlight normally reflected into space by the polar caps. As rising ocean temperatures become more dangerous and life-threatening, many major cities located in coastal areas are at risk of being flooded with rising sea levels. Even more concerning, the thickness of Arctic ice has decreased by 40% since the 1960s. The so-called, "Ward Hunt Ice Shelf," the most extensive ice block in the Arctic, has been breaking apart since 2000 after being in existence for over 3000 years.

Mother Earth's ice caps are an indicator for Global Warming. Over the past century, the world's global temperature has increased by half a degree Celsius. While this may seem like a minor increase, it's important to remember that small temperature changes can significantly impact this world. For example, the Little Ice Age between 1350 and 1850 was caused by a 2-degree drop in temperature. Therefore, degrees do matter when it comes to our survival and that of our relatives.

If Global temperatures reach 1.5 Celsius, which is fast approaching, what warms us now will burn, and this world will forever change; many will suffer...many will perish. To ignore the realities of this manufactured climate crisis is an act of environmental genocide.

Since 1923, Indigenous Peoples have reached out to the international community, advocating for the rights of Mother Earth and All Our Relations. In the footsteps of our ancestors, in 1990, Native Children's Survival screened our first music picture campaign, IS IT TOO LATE, at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) "Children and the Environment" project in the General Assembly Hall at United Nations Headquarters in New York City. The event featured presentations by Onondaga Fathkeeper, Chief Oren Lyons, Oglala Lakota President, Harold Salway, and a live performance by Robby Romero and Richie Havens. The campaign urged the international community to respect the rights of Mother Earth and help bridge the gap between Indigenous Peoples, Human Rights, and the Environment.

On September 13, 2007, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the "Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples" after undergoing the lengthiest debate of any human rights instrument. In 2009, April 22 was designated as "International Mother Earth Day" to promote a holistic approach to harmony with nature, and today the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has an online Call to Action that encourages everyone to help solve the climate crisis. However, only the united voice and action of the people can bring fruition to these accomplishments.