What happened as a result of the melting ice in the north?

In Chapter Nine, Miig continues the Story, talking about the situation that arose as the poor practices of man destroyed the world. The ice of the north began to melt and this prompted dramatic weather changes, including earthquakes that ruptured
pipelines, spewing chemicals over the landscape. Millions of people died, and those
who were left worked at a feverish pace to rebuild. The sun often disappeared for days at a time. When the majority of people stopped dreaming, they turned to Native Americans, hoping that immersing themselves in that culture would cure the problem.