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100 DAYS TO ANTARCTICA 
 
Women working together to protect Planet Earth
 
By Sandra Guzman
First Mexican in the Homeward Bound Project

 
Impacts of climate change have reached every corner of the world showing that human activity impact goes beyond of that, which is out of our control even that which is unknown for us. And, today, Antarctica is one of those territories that testify those impacts and the melting of its ice sheet proofs it.

Antarctica is considered the seventh continent. Its vast territory, largely covered by ice (90%) represents around 70% of the natural freshwater sources in the world; furthermore, it regulates the average temperature of the planet.

Antarctica has undergone different conflicts due to seven sovereign states (Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, United States of America, United Kingdom and New Zealand) that have laid claim to it. Nowadays, different countries have established scientific facilities in this territory, as well as military bases for peaceful purposes.

There are known reserves of oil and coal as well as copper deposits in Antarctica. But, due to weather and climate conditions, mining in Antarctica is difficult. Mineral exploration in Antarctica has been banned by virtue of the 1959 Antarctic Treaty. However, due to ambitious countries, like the United States and aggressive oil companies that have already started hydrocarbon exploration in the Arctic, Antarctica´s opposite pole, exploring the possibility of mining in the area remains an important concern.

Antarctica average temperature is less than 0°C. But in 1983 Antarctica reached -89.3°C, the lowest temperature recorded on Earth. Although some studies show that Antarctica gets 80-90% reflection of solar radiation by snow surface avoiding surface warming, 
climate change and high temperatures are causing deep effects in the ice sheet melting.

A recent study noted imminent glacier melting and calving in Antarctica due to rising temperature of the planet, what National Geographic called “the beginning of the end”. It is even more alarming what Marten Sheffer pointed out about global warming melting the Greenland and Antarctica ice sheets. He stated that a serious variation in the climate system would be generated if both of these big ice sheets lose mass due to melting, causing extreme temperatures in which life on Earth would not be sustainable and we would be, literally “grilled”.

For this and more, Antarctica is a very important territory for planet Earth. Unlike the North Pole, polar bears are not found in Antarctica, but whales, seals, sea wolfs and penguins are well located. It means it is a territory with a vast flora and fauna, species, now in danger.

 
Homeward Bound Project

Due to the significance of this territory, in 2016 an initiative of an expedition was launched. The main characteristic of this expedition is that is the biggest expedition lead by women for women. Homeward Bound Project (HBP) is an initiative to empower women in the field of science.

For principle, women have shown to be more supportive of Earth protection and humanity related topics and to be more concerned about them. Women´s collective vision is a characteristic that must be high lightened and supported.  That’s why HBP, an initiative born in Australia, strengthens a 1000 global collaboration of women with a science background over a 10-year period, taking around 80 women per year to Antarctica. Under the motto “Mother Earth needs her daughters” the main objective is to raise awareness about the impacts on the planet caused by humanity and to strengthen hundreds of women in the field of science to join efforts around the world and to keep promoting measurements to deal with these problems.
 
100 days left
 
On February of 2018 the second expedition will depart from the port of Ushuaia, Argentina. A group of women scientist from 13 countries around the world is about to start the expedition that aims to consolidate work to strengthen leadership but also to contribute to the scientific research about Antarctica, climate change, and low carbon and resilient development transitions.

In this expedition, there is a group of 5 Latin-American representatives from Peru, 
Colombia, Venezuela and Mexico. As a highly vulnerable region and contributor of 9% of the greenhouse gases emissions of the world, the participation of the region in this project is very important.
 
My Road to Antarctica  
 
I am the first Mexican participating in this project. It is difficult to explain what this process has meant to me so far. It has been a process that has challenged me in every way, from the emotional to the intellectual. Being part of a group of scientists can make you feel very proud, but also very vulnerable because the world is not ready to see women succeed.

The Homeward Bound has given me the opportunity to value my work and value me as a human being and as a woman, young women, mother, professional, and student.

In general, this experience means to me an opportunity to connect us as women with the ideals we stand up for and to reinforce our fight that many times gets blocked by our gender, age or race condition. More importantly, HB has given me the chance to know that I am not alone in this Road, my family, friends, but also many women fighting in the same arena, makes me feel that I am not alone and that I have a group of sisters, warriors, lionesses, defensoras that are there to fight together.  

 
Personal motivation:
  • As a mother, my biggest motivation is my two-year-old son that reminds me every day of how important is to have a habitable and sustainable planet for the future generations.
  • As Mexican, I wish to collaborate in the fight for gender equality in professional practice and support my country to overcome male violence and the limited and not recognized women´s participation in science.
  • As Latin-American is my desire to raise awareness about climate change as well as to have influence in the improvement of climate policies by using this practical experience and connecting climate impacts to action.
  • As planet Earth´s citizen I aim to do something to demonstrate that our actions have a huge impact in other territories and that these impacts create severe problems and even unknown consequences for humanity.
My commitments:
  • As a mother, I commit myself to do everything in my power to leave a better planet for my son and for present and future generations.
  • I am committed to developing communication actions to disseminate information about climate change topics, energy transition and women´s empowerment in compliance with the Climate Change and the Sustainable Development Agenda in Mexico, Latin America and the rest of the world.
  • I commit to working on strengthening women’s leadership in the field of climate science and protection of the environment. I will do so, through the campaign Defensoras that I launched in order to promote information among leading women and protective warriors of Mother Earth.
  • As GFLAC´s coordinator, I commit myself to reinforce the network’s actions in order to improve operation in matters of climate finance.
  • As a postgraduate student, I am committed to fortifying research related to climate change.

References:

 
In order to accomplish goals and to make a difference, HBP needs more active players. Support is welcome in any form, such as financial support, to keep the project operating or even spreading information about the project.  The more information we have the more impact we create.

Support my Road to Antarctica: www.gofundme.com/santoantarctic
Thanks to your support I am very close to my goal.
Follow me:
Twitter: @san_lunag
FB: @SandraLGuzman Luna 


 
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http://gflac.org

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