Ukuhlangula Imekobume—Kumaxa Siphi Kwilinge Lokuphumelela Eli Dabi?

Ukuhlangula Imekobume—Kumaxa Siphi Kwilinge Lokuphumelela Eli Dabi?

ICHERNOBYL, iBhopal, iValdez, iThree Mile Island. Xa kuthethwa ngaloo magama kusenokuba kuthi qatha imifanekiso yeentlekele eziye zahlasela imekobume kwiindawo ezahlukahlukeneyo zehlabathi. Nganye kwezi ntlekele isikhumbuza isibakala sokuba imekobume yomhlaba iyahlaselwa.

Maninzi amagosa nabanye abantu abaye balumkisa ngale meko. Abanye baye bazivakalisa elubala izimvo zabo. Umlondolozi wethala oliNgesi waziqamangela ngamatyathanga kugandaganda esilwa nokwakhiwa kwendlela enqumla kummandla onezinto zendalo ezisesichengeni sokuphela. Amabhinqa amabini aziinzalelwane zaseOstreliya akhokela iphulo lokulwa nokumbiwa kweuranium ngaphakathi kumyezo wezilwanyana. Wayekwa loo msebenzi wokumba. Nakuba le mizamo isenziwa ngeenjongo ezintle, ayisoloko isamkelwa kakuhle. Ngokomzekelo, umphathi wenqanawa yomkhosi waselwandle weSoviet wayexhalatyiswe yimichiza ephuma kwiinkwili ezinenyukliya ezizikileyo. Xa wapapasha iindawo ezikuzo, waphoswa ngaphaya kwezitshixo.

Zikho nezinye iintlangano ebezisoloko zilumkisa ngezinto ezisongela imekobume. Ezi ntlangano ziquka iUnited Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization; iUnited Nations Environment Programme; neGreenpeace. Ezinye iintlangano zichaza iingxaki zemekobume xa zichaphazela umsebenzi wazo. Ezinye umsebenzi wazo kukubhenca imibandela ephathelele imekobume. Umbutho iGreenpeace waziwa kulo lonke ngokuthumela abaqhankqalazi kwezo ndawo zinengxaki ephathelele imekobume nokutsalela ingqalelo yabantu kwimibandela efana nokufudumala komhlaba, izilwanyana ezisecicini lokuphela, iingozi zokuguqula imizila yemfuza yezilwanyana nezityalo (genetic modified).

Abanye abalwa nezi ngxaki bathi balwa “nabona nobangela beengxaki ukuze babhence iingxaki zemekobume.” Ngoko ke, basebenzisa iindlela ezifana nokuziqamangela kumasango emizi-mveliso esarha imithi beqhankqalazela ukugawulwa kwamahlathi amadala. Liqhankqalazela ukwaphulwa kwesivumelwano sokulotywa kweminenga lilizwe elithile, elinye iqela laya kumzi wozakuzo welo lizwe linxibe izigqubuthelo ezinamehlo amakhulu ukubonisa ukuba kwakhelwe umkhanya oko kwakusenziwa lelo lizwe.

Zininzi izinto ekunokuthethwa ngazo ngemekobume. Ngokomzekelo, ngokuphindaphindiweyo abantu neentlangano ezithile baye balumkisa ngeengozi zokungcoliswa kwamanzi. Sekunjalo, lisemfiliba ithemba ngemekobume. Ngabantu abaliwaka lezigidi abangenawo amanzi okusela acocekileyo. Ngokutsho kwephephancwadi iTime, “nyaka ngamnye kufa izigidi ezisisi-3,4 ngenxa yezifo eziphathelele amanzi.” Umoya ongcolileyo nawo uyingxaki. IThe State of World Population 2001 ithi “kuqikelelwa ukuba bazizigidi ezisisi-2,7 ukusa kwezisisi-3,0 abantu ababulawa ngumoya ongcolileyo minyaka le.” Yongezelela isithi “ukungcola komoya esiwuphefumlayo kwenzakalisa abantu abangaphezu kwesi-1,1 sewaka lezigidi.” Isenza umzekelo, yathi “imichiza ekhutshelwa emoyeni ingunobangela weengxaki zokuphefumla kubantwana abali-10 ekhulwini baseYurophu.” Ewe, phezu kwazo nje izilumkiso namalinge asele enziwe ukuza kuthi ga ngoku, iingxaki eziphathelele ezi zinto zisisiseko ebomini ziya zisanda.

Oku kubashiya bedidekile abaninzi. Kukho inkcazelo eninzi ngakumbi ephathelele imekobume. Baninzi ngakumbi abantu neentlangano ezinomdla ekucocweni kwemekobume kunanini na ngaphambili. Oorhulumente baye baseka amasebe okunceda ukuze kuconjululwe ezi ngxaki. Ngoku sinobugcisa obungakumbi bokuhlangabezana nezi ngxaki kunanini na ngaphambili. Ukanti, akubonakali nto ibhetele. Kutheni kunjalo?

Kungqishwa Ndawonye

Injongo yenkqubela yemizi-mveliso yayikukwenza ubomi lula. Ngandlel’ ithile oko kuyenzeka. Noko ke, ikwayile “nkqubela” eza neengxaki zokonakaliswa kwemekobume yomhlaba. Siyavuyiswa zizinto ezintsha nayinkqubela eyenziwa yimizi-mveliso, kodwa zezi zinto kanye ziveliswayo nendlela esizisebenzisa ngayo edla ngokubangela umonakalo kwimimandla yomhlaba.

Umzekelo wezi zinto ziimoto. Iimoto zenze kwalula ukuhamba yaye ziyakhawuleza. Bambalwa abantu abanokufuna ukubuyela kundalashe weenqwelo zamahashe. Ukanti, izithuthi zanamhlanje ziye zanegalelo kwiingxaki ezininzi. Enye yezo ngxaki kukufudumala komhlaba. Abantu baguqule imichiza esemoyeni ngokuvelisa izinto ezikhuphela izigidi zeetoni zeegesi emoyeni. Kuthiwa ezi gesi zonakalisa ezo gesi zihlala emoyeni, nto leyo eyenza umoya ube shushu. Ubushushu buye banda kule nkulungwane iphelileyo. IU.S. Environmental Protection Agency inikela ingxelo yokuba “eyona minyaka ili-10 ishushu kule nkulungwane yama-20 yonke ibe phakathi kweminyaka eli-15 yayo yokugqibela.” Ezinye izazinzulu zikholelwa ukuba kule nkulungwane yama-21, umlinganiselo wobushushu behlabathi unokunyuka ngesi-1,4 nesi-5,8 ngokukaCelsius.

Kulindeleke ukuba amaqondo obushushu aphakamileyo eze nezinye iingxaki. Umkhenkce osezintabeni kuMntla weIkhweyitha uyanyibilika. Ekuqaleni kowama-2002 kwaqhekeka umkhenkce olingana nezikwekhilomitha ezingama-3 250. Amanzi aselwandle anokunyuka ngendlela ephawulekayo kule nkulungwane. Ekubeni isinye kwisithathu sabantu behlabathi sihlala kufuphi nolwandle, ngenxa yoku banokuphetha bephulukana namakhaya nomhlaba wokulima. Kwakhona kunokubangela iingxaki ezinkulu kwizixeko eziselunxwemeni.

Izazinzulu zikholelwa ukuba ukuphakama kwamaqondo obushushu kuza kubangela iingxaki ezingakumbi zemozulu, nto leyo eya kuba ngunobangela wemozulu engalawulekiyo. Ezinye zivakalelwa ukuba izaqhwithi ezikhulu njengeso sabulala abantu abangama-90 saza sawisa imithi engama-270 ezigidi eFransi ngowe-1999 ziziqalelo nje ezincinane. Abanye abaphandi bacinga ukuba ukutshintsha kwemozulu kuza kubangela ukwanda kwezifo ezifana nezifo zeengcongconi imalariya nedengue, nekholera.

Umzekelo wemoto ubonisa indlela ezintsonkothe ngayo iingxaki ezibangelwa bubugcisa—izinto eziluncedo eziveliswa bubugcisa zinokubangela iingxaki ezichaphazela iinkalo eziliqela zobomi. Ayinyaniso amazwi eHuman Development Report 2001 athi: “Yonke inkqubela yobugcisa izisa iingenelo neengxaki zayo, ezinye zazo ekunzima ukuzazi kusengaphambili.”

Abantu basoloko bejonge kubugcisa xa befuna izicombululo zeengxaki zemekobume. Ngokomzekelo, iingcali zemekobume kudala zikukhaba ukusetyenziswa kwezibulala-zinambuzane. Xa kwaveliswa izityalo eziguqulwe imizila yemfuza (genetic modified) ezaziza kunciphisa okanye ziphelise ukusetyenziswa kwezibulala-zinambuzane, kwaba ngathi ubugcisa buze nesona sicombululo. Noko ke, xa kwasetyenziswa iBt emboneni, ukuze kuthintelwe izinto ezitya isikhondo ngaphandle kokusebenzisa izibulala-zinambuzane, uhlolisiso lwabonisa ukuba inokubulala amabhabhathane iimonarch. Ngoko ke, maxa wambi “isicombululo” siza nemiphumo emibi yaye oko kunokubangela iingxaki ezingakumbi.

Ngaba Oorhulumente Banokunceda?

Ekubeni ukonakaliswa kwemekobume kuyingxaki enkulu gqitha, kufuneka intsebenziswano yoorhulumente behlabathi ukuze kubekho isicombululo esiphumelelayo. Kwezinye iimeko kuyancomeka ukuphawula ukuba abameli bakarhulumente baye babonisa inkalipho besenza iinguqu ezifanelekileyo zokunceda ekulungiseni imekobume. Noko ke, amalinge enziwayo akasoloko ephumelela.

Umzekelo yingqungquthela yezizwe ngezizwe eyayiseJapan ngowe-1997. Apho amazwe ayexhaph’ amagwebu efuna ukwenza isivumelwano sokunciphisa izinto ezikhutshelwa emoyeni ekuthiwa zibangela ukufudumala komhlaba. Okothusa abantu abaninzi kukuba, ekugqibeleni kwafikelelwa kwisivumelwano. Esi sivumelwano sabizwa ngokuba yiKyoto Protocol. Amazwe afumileyo, afana neEuropean Union, iJapan, neUnited States, ayeza kunciphisa imichiza ayikhuphayo ngomlinganiselo wesi-5,2 ekhulwini malunga nowama-2012. Oku kwavakala kulungile. Noko ke, ekuqaleni kowama-2001 urhulumente waseUnited States wabonisa ukuba uyarhoxa kwisivumelwano iKyoto Protocol. Oku kwabothusa abantu abaninzi, kaloku nakuba iUnited States inabantu abangaphantsi kwesi-5 ekhulwini kubemi behlabathi, ivelisa isi-1 kwisi-4 sale michiza. Ukongezelela, abanye oorhulumente babemadolw’ anzima ukwamkela esi sivumelwano.

Le mizekelo ibonisa indlela ekunzima ngayo ngoorhulumente ukuba bafumane isicombululo sokwenene. Kunzima ukuhlanganisa oorhulumente beze etafileni, yaye kunzima nokuba bavumelane ngezicombululo eziphathelele imekobume. Naxa bezityobele izivumelwano, kamva abanye bayarhoxa. Kwabanye kudla ngokuba nzima ukuphumeza ezo zivumelwano. Kwezinye iimeko oorhulumente okanye imibutho yorhwebo baziva bengenako ukuhlangabezana neendleko zokucocwa kwemekobume. Kwezinye iindawo oku kubangelwa kukubawa, njengoko oongxowankulu bezorhwebo bephembelela ngamandla oorhulumente ukuze bangalandeli loo miqathango iza kunciphisa ingeniso yeshishini labo. Oosomashishini nemibutho yezorhwebo baziwa ngokuba ngoohlohlesabo abarhwaphiliza ilizwe bengakukhathalele oko kuya kwenzeka kwixesha elizayo.

Okona kuyenza mandundu le meko kukuba, izazinzulu azivumelani zonke ngendlela eya kuba mibi ngayo imiphumo yokungcoliswa komhlaba. Ngaloo ndlela abaqulunqi bemithetho karhulumente banokungaqiniseki ngenyathelo abamele balithabathe xa bemisela imiqathango ephathelele ukukhuliswa koqoqosho ukuze kuthintelwe iingxaki ezinokuvela okanye ekusenokwenzeka ukuba azikho mbi njengokuba kucingwa.

Uluntu lusengxakini ngokwenene. Wonk’ ubani uyazi ukuba kukho ingxaki yaye kumelwe kwenziwe into ngayo. Amanye amazwe ayaqhubeka esenza imigudu ngokunyaniseka, kodwa into embi kukuba iingxaki zemekobume ziya zithabath’ unyawo. Ngaba umhlaba umiselwe ukuba yindawo abangenakuhlala kuyo abantu? Ngoku makhe siqwalasele lo mbuzo.

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INGXOLO

Olunye uhlobo lokungcoliswa alubonwa ngamehlo kodwa luviwa ngeendlebe—ingxolo. Iingcali zithi nalo olu uhlobo lufanele luxhalatyelwe, kuba lunokwenza umntu angeva, abe noxinezeleko, ihigh blood pressure, angakwazi ukulala yaye angabi namveliso kumsebenzi wakhe. Abantwana abafunda kummandla onengxolo basenokuba neengxaki zokungakwazi ukufunda.

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UKUTSHATYALALISWA KWAMAHLATHI KWANDISA IIMPUKU

Xa iidolophu ezili-15 zaseSamar, kwiiPhilippines, zahlaselwa ziimpuku, urhulumente wathi unobangela woko kukutshatyalaliswa kwamahlathi aloo ngingqi. Ukuphela kwamahlathi kwabangela ukuphela kwezilwanyana ezitya iimpuku nokutya kweempuku. Ezo mpuku zafudukela kwiindawo ezihlala abantu zifuna ukutya.

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AMAXHOBA ENKUNKUMA ENETYHEFU?

Xa wayeneenyanga ezintathu nesiqingatha ubudala, uMichael wafunyaniswa ukuba uneneuroblastoma, uhlobo oluthile lomhlaza. Ukuba wawuhlasele yena yedwa kuloo mmandla, abantu babengayi kothuka. Kodwa, kwamva kwafunyaniswa ukuba loo mhlaza uhlasele nabanye abantwana abamalunga ne-100 abahlala apho. Oku kwabothusa abazali abaninzi. Abanye babevakalelwa kukuba loo mhlaza ubangelwa ziinkampani ezisebenzisa imichiza kuloo mmandla. Uphando lwabonisa ukuba kukho imigqomo yetyhefu eyothulwa kwifama yeenkuku yilori yenkunkuma eyayisuka komnye umzi-mveliso, ngoko yayimana ichithela phantsi loo tyhefu. Abaphandi bafumanisa ukuba ingene kumanzi amaqula alapho. Abazali bacinga ukuba yiyo ebangela umhlaza kubantwana babo.

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IMICHIZA ENETYHEFU

Emva kweMfazwe Yehlabathi II, kwavalelwa ezinqanaweni iitoni ezili-120 000 zezinto ezinetyhefu, inkoliso yazo iyiphosgene nemustard gas, zaya kulahlwa elwandle, ezinye kumntla-ntshona weNorthern Ireland. Izazinzulu zaseRashiya zilumkisa ngelithi ngoku ezo zinto zisengozini yokuvuza.

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UMOYA ONGCOLILEYO UYABULALA

IWorld Health Organization ithi nyaka ngamnye phakathi kwesi-5 nesi-6 ekhulwini sabantu abafayo ehlabathini bafa ngenxa yomoya ongcolileyo. EOntario, eKhanada, kuphela kwanikelwa ingxelo yokuba nyaka ngamnye abemi balapho bachitha imali engaphezu kwee-R5,6 zamawaka ezigidi kwiindleko zonyango nokungayi emsebenzini okanye esikolweni ngenxa yomoya ongcolileyo.

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UKUTSHATYALALISWA KWEZITYALO EZIPHANTSI KWAMANZI

Bambi abalobi baseMzantsi-mpuma weAsia basebenzisa umxube wecyanide ukwenza iintlanzi zibe nesiyezi, ukuze kube lula ukuzibamba. Le tyhefu iyaphuma emzimbeni wentlanzi ukuze kuze kungabi yongozi ukuyitya. Noko ke, le tyhefu isala kumgangatho wolwandle, itshabalalisa izityalo eziphantsi kwamanzi.

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NGABA UFANELE UNXIBE IMASK?

Iphephancwadi iAsiaweek lithi ubukhulu becala umoya ongcolileyo kwizixeko zaseAsia ukhutshwa ziimoto. Iilori nezithuthuthu zezona zidla ngokungcolisa umoya, zikhupha umsi omninzi onemichiza. Le michiza ibangela iingxaki zempilo. Kwaeli phephancwadi lithi: “Ingcali ephambili ngokuphathelele iingxaki zomoya ongcolileyo eTaiwan uGqr. Chan Chang-chuan, uthi umsi wediesel ubangela umhlaza.” Kwizixeko zaseAsia abanye abantu banxiba iimask bezama ukuzikhusela. Ngaba ezi mask ziyanceda? UGqr. Chan uthi: “Aziloncedo. Ubukhulu becala iigesi ezingcolileyo ziphumela nje lula kwimask. Ngapha koko, . . . azenzelwanga ukuba kungangeni moya. Ngoko zenza nje ubani abe ngathi ukhuselekile.”

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Ukutyalwa kwemithi yehlathi kwakhona ukuze kulondolozwe imekobume

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AFP/Getty Images; top left: Published with the permission of The Trustees of the Imperial War Museum, London (IWM H 42208); top right: Howard Hall/howardhall.com