Amadolobha Amakhulu Ayaqhubeka Ecinana
KUWO wonke umhlaba, lezizithabathaba zasemadolobheni ziyanda, zikhanga izigidi ezifuna umsebenzi, indawo yokuhlala, nokuphila okulula kwasemadolobheni. Kodwa intengo iphakeme. Ngisho nokuphefumula kulamadolobha acinene kuqhubeka kuba ingozi enkulu empilweni yabantu.
Umbiko osanda kukhishwa i-UNEP (United Nations Environment Program) ne-World Health Organization ubonisa ukuthi ukungcola komoya emadolobheni angu-20 amakhulu kunawo wonke emhlabeni bekuqhubeka kuba kubi kakhulu. “Kwezinye izimo,” kusho i-Our Planet, umagazini onyatheliswa eKenya i-UNEP, “lokhu kungcola komoya kubi njengentuthu esabekayo yaseLondon eminyakeni engu-40 edlule.” Izakhamuzi zaseMexico City yizona ezisengozini enkulu, kodwa amashumi ezigidi zabantu abahlala emadolobheni anjengeBangkok, iBeijing, iCairo, neSão Paulo athinteka ngendlela efanayo.
Uyingozi kangakanani umoya kulamadolobha? Phela, amazinga aphakeme ezinto ezingcolisa kakhulu, njenge-sulfur dioxide, i-carbon monoxide, nomthofu, ayingozi ngezindlela eziningi. Imiphumela yazo emzimbeni miningi: izinkinga zokuphefumula nemithambo yegazi nenhliziyo, ukulimala kwezinzwa, ngisho nezinkinga zomnkantsha, isibindi, nezinso.
Yini ebangela lokhu kungcola? Ngokwe-Our Planet, imbangela eyodwa enkulu kulamadolobha izimoto. Njengoba inani lezimoto ezikhona manje emhlabeni—izigidi ezingu-630—“kulindeleke ukuba liphindeke kabili phakathi neminyaka ezayo engu-20-30, ikakhulukazi ezindaweni zasemadolobheni,” umoya wasemadolobheni wesikhathi esizayo ubonakala ufiphele ngempela. Njengoba lombiko uphawula, okwenza izinto zibe zimbi nangokwengeziwe ukuthi kuye kwathathwa izinyathelo ezimbalwa zokuphepha, njengoba emadolobheni amaningi amakhulu “bungashaywa mkhuba ubukhulu balenkinga.” Khona-ke, akumangalisi ukuthi i-Our Planet inxusa ukuba lamadolobha abeke phambili izinyathelo ezihloselwe ukuhlanza umoya. Uma lokhu kungenziwa, ikusasa liyesabisa. Ngokokulinganisela kwaleliphephabhuku, “lamadolobha abhekene nokucinana ngokuqhubekayo njengoba isimo sawo somoya siqhubeka siba sibi.”