Ukonakaliswa Komhlaba Wethu—Intlaselo Ethwaxa Imimandla Emininzi
NGOJUNI wonyaka ophelileyo, kwaqhutywa iNgqungquthela Yehlabathi yemicimbi engemeko-bume eRio de Janeiro, eBrazil. Ngokungqamene nayo, kwakuloo nyanga, i-India Today yapapasha inqaku lomhleli elabhalwa ngumhleli uRaj Chengappa. Lalinomxholo othi “Umhlaba Owonakalisiweyo.” Iziqendu zayo zokuqala zazoba umfanekiso ocacileyo:
“Ngowe-1971 xa uEdgar Mitchell wantingela enyangeni ekhwele uApollo 14, ukuthi jezu kwakhe okokuqala emhlabeni esesibhakabhakeni kwambangela wanemincili. ‘Umhlaba ubonakala njengelitye elinqabileyo elikhazimlayo eliluhlaza namhlophe . . . Eliqukunjelwe ngelaphu elimhlophe elicekethekileyo elijikeleza kancinane . . . Njengeperile encinane kulwandle olungqimbilili olumnyama lwemfihlelo,’ wayithumela loo ngxelo echulumancile ngonomathotholo eHouston.
“Kwiminyaka engamashumi amabini ananye emva koko, ukuba lo kaMitchell wayenokuthunyelwa kwakhona esibhakabhakeni, ngeli xesha eneendondo ezikhethekileyo ezazinokumenza abone iigesi ezingabonakaliyo zomoya osingqongileyo womhlaba, ebeya kwalama umbono owahluke mpela. Ebeya kubona imingxuma emikhulu kucwecwe lweozone olukhuselayo phezu kweAntarctica nakuMntla Merika. Kunokuba abone ilitye elinqabileyo elikhazimlayo eliluhlaza namhlophe ebeya kubona umhlaba omfiliba, ongcoliswe ngamafu amnyama najikelezayo ekharbon nesulphur ezixubene neoksijen.
“Ukuba lo kaMitchell ebenokuthabatha ikhamera aze afote imifanekiso yamahlathi agqume umhlaba aze ayithelekise naleyo wayithabatha ngowe-’71, ebeya kothuswa yindlela aye ancipha ngayo. Yaye ukuba wayenokuvula isibonakude sakhe esikhethekileyo ukuze simncede ahlolisise ukungcola okusemanzini omhlaba, ebeya kubona iziqwenga zeetyhefu ezinyakazela kwiindawo ezininzi zomhlaba namagaqa amnyama etela azalise ummandla omkhulu womgangatho wolwandle. Ebeya kuthumela ingxelo ngonomathotholo ethi, ‘Houston kodwa yintoni le siyenzileyo?’
“Enyanisweni, akuyomfuneko ukuba side sinyukele esibhakabhakeni iikhilomitha ezingama-36 000 ukuze sazi oko sikwenzileyo. Namhlanje, sinako ukusela, ukuphefumla, sisezele size silubone ungcoliso. Kwiminyaka eli-100, yaye ingakumbi kwengama-30 edluleyo, uluntu luye lwenza umhlaba wabubugxwayiba. Ngokukhuphela kumoya osingqongileyo umlinganiselo obaxekileyo weegesi zokubamba ubushushu sizibizela iinguqulelo zemozulu ezonakalis’ impilo. Iigesi ezisetyenziswa zizikhenkcisi nezipholisi zethu ngoku zizo eziphethel’ imbengwana ucwecwe lweozone olukhuselayo, nto leyo esichanaba kumhlaza wesikhumba ize iguqule indlela engokwemfuza yokwakheka kwezilwanyana ezincinane. Kwangaxeshanye, siye sonakalisa imimandla emikhulu yomhlaba, sinqunqel’ egoqweni amahlathi, ngokungakhathali silahlela emilanjeni iitoni zetyhefu yaye sithululela imichiza eyityhefu kwiilwandle zethu.
“Ngoku ngaphezu kwayo nayiphi na enye into eyona nto isisisongelo kuluntu kukutshatyalaliswa kwemeko-bume. Yaye kufuneka intshukumo yenguqulelo yazwenibanzi yokuthintela oku kubulawa.”
Emva kokudwelisa iingxaki ezininzi iintlanga ezimele zinikele ingqalelo ekuzicombululeni nezinokuthanani nemeko-bume, uRaj Chengappa uqukumbela inqaku lakhe lomhleli ngala mazwi: “Konke oku kufanele kwenziwe ngokukhawuleza. Kuba esi sisongelo asiyonto iya kwenzeka kwikamva labantwana bakho. Sithetha nje siyaqhubeka. Yaye sikho.”
Ngoko oogqirha bomhlaba badibene ngeentloko. Kuqhutywa iintlanganiso, kunikelwa unyango, kodwa abavumelani. Bayaphikisana. Bambi bathi, ‘Imeko yawo ayikho maxongo.’ Abanye bayamemeza bathi, ‘Ugulel’ ukufa!’ Ubuchule bokuthetha buyanda, amayeza ayanda, oogqirha bayasilela, ngoxa imeko yomguli iya isiba mandundu. Akukho nto yenziwayo. Kufuneka benze uphando olubhekele phaya. Babhala imimiselo engasokuze izaliswe. Konke oku kububuchule obungabheke ndawo bokuvumela ungcoliso luqhubeke nokuze ingeniso yande. Umguli akafumani yeza, ukugula kwakhe kuyanda, imeko yakhe iya isiba maxongo, yaye ukonakaliswa komhlaba kuyaqhubeka.
Umhlaba nobomi obukuwo zizinto ezimanyene kakhulu, zingumtya nethunga. Izigidi zezidalwa eziphilayo ezisebenzisanayo kuye kwabhekiselwa kuzo njengomxokelelwano wemisonto yobomi. Ukuba uqhawula umsonto ube mnye, umxokelelwano uqalisa ukwahlukana. Phelisa nje uhlobo lube lunye kuzo kuya kufa ezininzi. Umzekelo woku kukugawulwa kwamahlathi emvula akweleenjiko.
Ngefotosinthesi ihlathi lemvula lifunxa ikharbon diokside emoyeni lize liwunike ioksijen. Lisela amanzi amaninzi emvula kodwa mancinane kakhulu eliwasebenzisela ukuvelisa ukutya kwalo. Amaninzi liwabuyisela emoyeni njengomphunga. Apho enza amafu amatsha emvula ukuze kune imvula engakumbi efunwa lelo hlathi lemvula nazizigidi zezityalo nezilwanyana eziphilayo elizondlayo eziphantsi kwekhusi lalo eliluhlaza.
Ngoko ihlathi lemvula liyagawulwa. Kusala ikharbon diokside phezu kwethu njengengubo ukuze ibambe ubushushu belanga. Incinane ioksijen eyongezelelwa emoyeni ukuze kungenelwe izilwanyana. Mancinane amanzi emvula ajikeleziswayo ukuze kubekho engakumbi. Endaweni yoko, nayiphi na imvula enayo iqukuqela yenjenjeya emhlabeni iyimisinga, ikhukulisa wonke umhlaba ongaphezulu oyimfuneko ukuze kukhule izityalo. Imisinga namadike azala ludaka, iintlanzi ziyafa. Intlenga ithwalelwa kwiilwandlekazi ize igqume uqaqa olukweleenjiko luze lufe. Izigidi zezityalo nezilwanyana ebezikade ziphila phantsi kwelo khusi liluhlaza ziyanyamalala, iimvula ezinkulu ebezikade zimanzisa umhlaba ziyancipha, yaye ngokuthe ngcembe uqalisa ukuba yintlango. Khumbula ukuba, iNtlango iSahara enkulu yaseAfrika yayikhe yaluhlaza, kodwa ngoku lo mmandla mkhulu wentlabathi emhlabeni unwenwela kwimimandla ethile yaseYurophu.
KwiNgqungquthela Yehlabathi, iUnited States namanye amazwe atyebileyo asebenzisa ingcinezelo ukuzama ukuba iBrazil namanye amazwe asakhasayo ayeke ukugawula amahlathi awo emvula. Ngokutsho kwengxelo yeNew York Times: “IUnited States ithi, amahlathi, ngokukodwa akweleenjiko, atshatyalaliswa ngomlinganiselo oxhomis’ amehlo kumazwe asakhasayo yaye isijikelezi-langa siphela sisenokuba sengxakini. Ithi, amahlathi ayinto yazwenibanzi yokunceda ukulawula imozulu ngokufunxa ikharbon diokside ebamba ubushushu yaye aluncedo kwinkqubo yokuphefumla yenxalenye enkulu yezinto eziphilayo ehlabathini.”
Amazwe asakhasayo awazange aphozise maseko ekuyityholeni ngokuhanahanisa. Ngokutsho kweThe New York Times, “akukhaba ngaw’ omane oko ayekubona kusisilingo sokuthoba ulongamo lwawo ngamazwe ebekukudala egawula eyawo imithi ukuze azuze ingeniso kodwa ngoku afuna ukubeka umthwalo onzima wokulondolozwa kwamahlathi azwenibanzi kumazwe asaxomolozela ukuphumelela ngokwezoqoqosho.” Unozakuzaku waseMalaysia wakubeka oku ngokungqalileyo wathi: “Ngokuqinisekileyo amahlathi ethu asiwagcinelanga abo baye bawatshabalalisa awabo amahlathi baze ngoku bazame ukubanga awethu njengenxalenye yelifa loluntu.” KumNtla-ntshona wePacific, iUnited States ine-10 ekhulwini kuphela lamahlathi ayo emvula awakhula kudala, yaye nangoku asaphethelw’ izembe, kanti ifuna iBrazil, esenama-90 ekhulwini amahlathi ayo eAmazon, ukuba iyeke ukuwagawula.
Abo bashumayela kwabanye ukuba, ‘Musani ukuwatshabalalisa amahlathi enu,’ nangona bona bewatshabalalisa awabo, bayafana nabo bachazwe kumaRoma 2:21-23: “Ndithi, wena ke umfundisayo omnye akuzifundisi? Wena ke uvakalisa ukuthi, makungebiwa, uyeba? Wena ke uthi, makungakrexezwa, uyakrexeza? Wena ke ukruqukileyo zizithixo, uphanga iitempile? Wena ke uqhayisa ngomthetho uyamhlazisa uThixo ngokugqitha umthetho?” Okanye xa kuziswa kule meko, ‘ngaba wena, uvakalisa ukuba, “Londoloza amahlathi akho,” uyawagawula awakho?’
Into enxulumene ngokusondeleyo nokutshatyalaliswa kwamahlathi kukuxhalatyelwa kokufudumala komhlaba. Amandla emichiza nawomsinga womoya oshushu onyukayo amanyene, kodwa inkxalabo ijoliswe ngokuyintloko kumchiza omnye emoyeni ikharbon diokside. Ingundoqo ekufudumaleni komhlaba. Abaphandi kwiZiko Lophando Kwincam Yomhlaba likaByrd kunyaka ophelileyo bathi “yonke imisinga yomkhenkce esezintabeni enomphakamo ophakathi nongaphantsi ngoku iyanyibilika yaye iyaphela—kweminye yayo oku kwenzeka ngokukhawuleza—yaye ingxelo yomkhenkce ekule misinga yomkhenkce ibonisa ukuba iminyaka edluleyo engama-50 ibishushu ngakumbi kunalo naliphi na elinye ithuba leminyaka engama-50” ekwingxelo. Ikharbon diokside encinane kakhulu inokuthetha ukubakho kwemozulu ebandayo; eninzi inokuthetha ukunyibilika kwemikhenkce egubungele iindawo eziphakamileyo nemisinga yomkhenkce kunye nokukhukuliseka kwezixeko ezigudle unxweme.
Ithetha ngekharbon diokside i-India Today yathi:
“Isenokuba iliqhezu nje leegesi zomoya osingqongileyo: ili-0,03 ekhulwini lazo zonke. Kodwa ingekho ikharbon diokside isijikelezi-langa sethu besiya kubanda njengenyanga. Ngokubamba ukukhutshwa kwemitha yobushushu kumphezulu womhlaba, igcina amaqondo obushushu azwenibanzi ekumlinganiselo wobushushu oxhasa ubomi oli-15 ngokweqondo lobushushu likaCelsius. Kodwa ukuba umlinganiselo wayo uyanda, umhlaba unokuguqukela ekubeni ligumbi elinomphunga oshushu lokwenza umzimba ubile (sauna).
“Ukuba amaziko okuhlola imozulu azwenibanzi anikela inkcazelo enokuthenjwa, ingcinezelo yokwenza into ngayo iyanda. Kwiminyaka yee-1980 kwabakho amaxesha ehlobo amathandathu kwasixhenxe angawona ashushu ukususela kwixesha lokugcinwa kwengxelo yemozulu malunga neminyaka eli-150 eyadlulayo. Into ebonakala isisizekabani: kukunyuka kwekharbon diokside ngama-26 ekhulwini kumoya osingqongileyo ngaphezu komlinganiselo wexesha langaphambi kwenguqulelo yezoshishino.”
Umthombo woku kucingelwa ukuba ziitoni zekharbon diokside ezili-1,8 lamawaka ezigidi ezikhutshwa minyaka le ngokutshiswa kwezibaso zendalo. Isivumelwano ebekuthenjelwe kuso sokuthintela ngokungakumbi ukukhutshwa kwekharbon diokside sagalelw’ amanzi kwiNgqungquthela Yehlabathi yakutshanje nto leyo ekuthiwa “yavus’ ubushushu” beengcali zemozulu. Omnye wabila ngumsindo wada wathi: “Asinakusuke nje sithi yabalala ngokungathi akwenzekanga nto. Inyaniso engenakuphikiswa yeyokuba ityala lebhanki yazwenibanzi legesi liyajinga. Kufanele kwenziwe okuthile okanye kungekudala siya kuba nezigidi zeembacu zasekuhlaleni.” Wayebhekisela kwabo babeya kubhaca kumazwe abo akhukulisekileyo.
Omnye umbandela wongxamiseko umayela nemingxuma ekuthiwa ikho kucwecwe lweozone olukhusela umhlaba kwimitha yelanga eyiultraviolet ebangela umhlaza. Esona sizekabani esiyintloko ziiCFC (chlorofluorocarbons). Zisetyenziswa kwizikhenkcisi, kwizipholisi nakwizinto zokucoca ezinyibilikisayo nanjengezona zikhawulezayo ekwenzeni amagwebu eplastiki. Kumazwe amaninzi zisakhutshwa ngezifefezi ezikhupha ulwelo ngokucinezelwa (aerosol sprays). Xa zifikelela kumoya osingqongileyo ophezulu, imitha yelanga eyiultraviolet iyazahlula kuze kukhutshwe ichlorine engaxutywanga, iatom nganye inokutshabalalisa ubuncinane iimolekyuli zeozone ezili-100 000. Imingxuma, imimandla enemilinganiselo ehle kakhulu yeozone, iyasala kucwecwe lweozone, eAntarctica nakwimimandla ephakamileyo ekuMntla, nto leyo ethetha ukuba imitha yeultraviolet ifikelela emhlabeni.
Le mitha ibulala izidalwa zaphantsi kwamanzi ezingenakubonwa ngeliso lenyama nezidalwa ezineqokobhe nemibungu ezizezokuqala kulandelelwano lokutyana kwezidalwa zaselwandle. Kubakho iinguqulelo kwiimolekyuli zeDNA ezinemizila yemfuza yobomi. Izityalo ziyachaphazeleka. Le mitha ibangela umlanga nomhlaza wesikhumba ebantwini. Xa abaphandi beNASA bafumana imilinganiselo ephakamileyo yechlorine monoxide kumaphondo akumntla weUnited States, eKhanada, eYurophu naseRashiya, omnye wabo baphandi wathi: “Wonke umntu umele alunyukiswe ngoku. Kuyinto enzulu kakhulu kunokuba besicinga.” ULester Brown, umongameli weZiko Elondela Ihlabathi wathi: “Izazinzulu ziqikelela ukuba ukonakaliswa okwandayo kocwecwe lweozone kumntla weIkhweyita kuya kubangela ukufa okongezelelekileyo kwabantu abangama-200 000 eUnited States kuphela bebulawa ngumhlaza wesikhumba ebudeni beminyaka engama-50 ezayo. Zwenibanzi, izigidi zemiphefumlo zisemngciphekweni.”
Inguqulelo kwezebhayoloji, ukugcinwa kwezityalo nezilwanyana ezininzi kangangoko kunokwenzeka ziphila kwiindawo zazo zokwemvelo, kuyenye into exhalabisayo. Iphephancwadi iDiscover lapapasha isicatshulwa esivela kwincwadi yesazi ngebhayoloji uEdward O. Wilson ethi The Diversity of Life, awathi kuyo wadwelisa ukupheliswa kwamawakawaka eendidi zeentaka, iintlanzi nezinambuzane, ndawonye neentlobo zezidalwa eziye zikhutshelwe ecaleni njengezingabalulekanga: “Uninzi lwezi ntlobo zezidalwa zinyamaleleyo ziintlobo zomngundo, iindidi ezahlukeneyo ezandisa ukufunxa kwazo izondlo ngenkqubo yengcambu yezityalo. Izazi ngezinto eziphilayo neendawo eziphila kuzo bezisoloko zicinga ngoko bekunokwenzeka kwizinto eziphilayo emhlabeni ukuba le mingundo ibinokushenxiswa, yaye kungekudala siza kukufumanisa oko.”
Kwakuloo ncwadi lo kaWilson wakwabuza waza waphendula lo mbuzo umayela nembaluleka yokulondoloza iintlobo zezidalwa:
“Nguwuphi umahluko okhoyo ukuba ezinye iintlobo zezidalwa ziyatshatyalaliswa, kwanokuba sisiqingatha sazo zonke iintlobo zezidalwa emhlabeni siyanyamalala? Makhe ndibale izinto ezinokwenzeka. Imithombo emitsha yenkcazelo engokwenzululwazi kuya kuphulukanwa nayo. Ithemba elikhulu lobutyebi kwezebhayoloji liya kutshatyalaliswa. Sekunjalo amayeza angekafunyanwa, izityalo, amayeza, amaplanga, imicu, umthi wokwenza amaphepha, uhlaza oluhlaziya umhlaba, izinto ezisetyenziswa endaweni yepetroli nezinye iimveliso kunye nezinto zokwenza ubomi bube mnandi bezingayi kufunyanwa. Kuyinto eqhelekileyo ngabanye abantu ukungayisiso imbaluleka yezinto ezincinane nezingacacanga, yezinambuzane ezincinane neengcambu, belibala ukuba inundu elincinane laseMzantsi Merika lasindisa idlelo laseOstreliya ekukhuleni okugqithiseleyo kwecactus, uhlobo oluthile lwentyatyambo eyiperiwinkle yanikela unyango kwisifo sikaHodgkin nakuhlobo oluthile lwesifo segazi sabantwana (lymphocytic leukemia), ixolo lohlobo oluthile lomthi wasePacific oyiyew unika ithemba kumaxhoba omhlaza wesiyilelo-maqanda nowamabele, umchiza ovela kumathe esimfimfithi-gazi uxuba amahlwili egazi ebudeni botyando, yaye nalo ke uludwe olwakhula kwangaphambili noluphawulekayo phezu kwayo nje imeko yophando oluncinane ekufumaneni amayeza kwizityalo okanye izilwanyana.
“Nasekucingeni nje kuyinto elula ukungalusiso uncedo olunikelwa zizinto eziphilayo eziphezu komhlaba kuluntu. Ziyawutyebisa umhlaba zize zakhe lo moya siwuphefumlayo. Ngaphandle kwezi zinto zokwenza ubomi bube mnandi ubukho bomntu emhlabeni bebuya kuba yinto engathandekiyo nemfutshane.”
Njengokuba intetho isitsho—oku kukugwengula nje phezulu—nangona iye yaba yekruqulayo ngokusoloko ithethwa kodwa isetyenziswe kuba ifanelekile. Ukonakaliswa komhlaba kuya kuphela nini? Yaye ngubani oya kukuphelisa? Inqaku elilandelayo linikela iimpendulo.
[Amagama acatshulweyo akwiphepha 22]
INtlango iSahara enkulu yaseAfrika yayikhe yaluhlaza
[Amagama acatshulweyo akwiphepha 23]
‘Ngaba wena, ushumayela ukuba, “Londoloza amahlathi akho,” uyawagawula awakho?’
[Amagama acatshulweyo akwiphepha 23]
Xa ikharbon diokside incinane—kubanda ngakumbi
Xa ininzi—inyibilikisa imisinga yomkhenkce
[Amagama acatshulweyo akwiphepha 24]
“Kubakho wuphi umahluko xa ezinye iintlobo zezidalwa zitshatyalaliswa?”
[Amagama acatshulweyo akwiphepha 24]
Ngaphandle kwezinto ezincinane, ubukho bohlanga loluntu bebuya kuba bufutshane yaye bukruqule
[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 25]
Amahlathi eemvula aseAmazon, ubuhle bawo bangaphambili
Amahlathi emvula angakumbi, emva kokuba eye onakaliswa ngumntu
[Inkcazelo]
Abril Imagens/João Ramid
F4/R. Azoury/Sipa
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 26]
Ukulahlwa kwemichiza eyityhefu okungcolisa umoya, amanzi nomhlaba
[Inkcazelo]
Feig/Sipa