IMediterranean—Ulwandle Oluphahlwe Yizwe Kodwa Olungavikelekile
NGUMLOBELI WE-PHAPHAMA! EGREECE
Izidumbu zamahlengethwa angaphezu kwenkulungwane zinqwabelene ogwini olusuka eGreece kuya eMorocco, amanzi adungekile anobuthi e-Aegean, izigidi zamathani egwebu elijiyile e-Adriatic, izimfudu nezimvu zamanzi ezisengcupheni yokuqothulwa, namanzi angenayo ngisho nento eyodwa ephilayo. Kwenzekani kuyiMediterranean? Ingabe ibhekene nokungcoliswa nokucekelwa phansi?
“INDAWO evunyelaniswe nokuphila kwabantu endala kunazo zonke emhlabeni.” Yileyo ndlela isazi sezilwane uDavid Attenborough esichaza ngayo iMediterranean nogu lwayo. Njengoba lufinyelela emazwekazini amathathu, lolu lwandle lwaba nendima enkulu ekubuseni nasekuweni kwemibuso yaseGibithe, eGreece naseRoma. Iyisizinda sempucuko namasiko amaningi anamuhla. Nokho, ukwakha kule ndawo kuze kweqe, ukwanda kwezivakashi, ukudoba ngokweqile nokungcola kuye kwashiya iMediterranean isesimweni esibucayi. Ososayensi namazwe akhathazekile bafuna amakhambi asheshayo, kodwa impumelelo iye yaba ncane kakhulu kuze kube manje.
IMediterranean iwulwandle oluphahlwe yizwe olukhulu kakhulu emhlabeni. Ogwini lwayo olungamakhilomitha angu-46 000, oluwumngcele wamazwe angu-20, kuhlala abantu abangaphezu kwezigidi ezingu-160, okuyinani okulindeleke ukuba liphindeke kabili ngonyaka ka-2025. Njengoba ifudumele futhi inosawoti omningi kune-Atlantic, okuyiyona ewumthombo wayo, iMediterranean ayinawo amagagasi. Njengoba amanzi ayo evuseleleka njalo ngemva kweminyaka engaba ngu-80 noma engu-90, isengozini yokungcola. I-National Geographic ithi: “Noma yini elahlwa kuyiMediterranean ihlala lapho isikhathi eside.”
Ukuthutheleka Kwezivakashi
Amabhishi athokomele, ubuhle bendawo, ukuthandwa kwezivakashi eMediterranean, nomlando onezici ezihlukahlukene kwenza yonke le ndawo ibe yindawo yokuchitha iholidi ethandwa kakhulu. Unyaka ngamunye, ivakashelwa abantu bakule ndawo nabantu abavela kwamanye amazwe abayizigidi eziyikhulu, futhi leli nani kulindeleke ukuba liphindeke kathathu eminyakeni engu-25. Ingabe lokhu kuthutheleka kwabantu kuyingxenye yembangela yokuwohloka kwale ndawo abathanda ukuyivakashela ehlobo? Ake uhlole amaqiniso.
Laba bantu abatheleka ngobuningi beza nemfucumfucu amazwe akuyiMediterranean angenandlela yokuyilahla. Amaphesenti angaba ngu-80 endle abayishiyayo—engamathani angaphezu kwezigidi ezingu-500 ngonyaka—agcina olwandle engafakiwe amakhemikhali! Eziningi zalezi zivakashi zifika ngaphambi kwezimvula, okwenza imithombo elinganiselwe yamanzi ale ndawo ingcole nakakhulu. Amanzi angcolile nawo ayingozi empilweni. Ukubhukuda kwezinye izingxenye zeMediterranean kungabangela izifo zezindlebe, zamakhala nomphimbo, ingasaphathwa eyezifo ezinjengokusha kwesibindi nohudo kanye nekholera ngezinye izikhathi.
Nokho, umnotho wamazwe amaningi akuyiMediterranean uncike kwezokuvakasha. Ekhuluma ngamazwe anjalo, uMichel Batisse, owayeyiphini lomqondisi-jikelele we-United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, uthi: “Athembele kwezokuvakasha kuphela, kodwa lokho kuxhomeke ekugcinweni kwamabhishi engonakalisiwe ukwakha okungalawuleki okubangelwa ukuhahela imali.”
Imikhumbi Eminingi Ethutha Impahla
IMediterranean iwumzila oyinhloko wokuthutha phakathi kweMpumalanga Ephakathi neYurophu, okuyenza iminyaniswe imikhumbi ethutha uwoyela. Amaphesenti angaphezu kwangu-20 kawoyela osetshenziswa emhlabeni adlula ngalo mzila. Kulinganiselwa ukuthi uwoyela ochithekela kuyiMediterranean unyaka ngamunye uphindwe izikhathi ezingu-17 kunowoyela owachithwa umkhumbi i-Exxon Valdez e-Alaska ngo-1989. Phakathi kuka-1980 no-1995, kwafa imikhumbi engu-14 eyachitha uwoyela kuyiMediterranean, futhi unyaka ngamunye, imikhumbi ichitha amathani angaba yisigidi kawoyela ongahluziwe, ngokuvamile ngenxa yokuthi amatheku awanazo izinto zokuthutha uwoyela ongcolile noma zokugeza imikhumbi ethwala uwoyela.
Okwenza isimo sibe sibi nakakhulu ukuthi amanzi ageleza esuka kuyiMediterranean aye kuyi-Atlantic ngeStrait of Gibraltar ajulile. Njengoba uwoyela ungaziki, ulwandle luphelelwa amanzi ahlanzekile aphansi ekujuleni bese lugcina uwoyela phezulu. UColette Serruya, owayengumqondisi we-Institute of Oceanography yase-Israel uthi: “Isimiso sezilwane ezidlanayo eMediterranean sesingcoliswe uwoyela. Usutholakala ezinhlanzini nasezimbazeni esizidlayo.” Ngo-1990 i-United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) yabika ukuthi amaphesenti angu-93 ezimbaza ezithathwe kuyiMediterranean ayegcwele amagciwane endle amaningi kunesilinganiso esivunyelwe yi-World Health Organization.
Izimiso Ezibuthaka Zezinto Eziphilayo
Ngaphezu kwalokhu kungcola okubhubhisayo, kunomonakalo omkhulu oqhubekayo ogwini lwaseMediterranean, olwalunamahlathi amakhulu ekhulwini le-15 leminyaka C.E. Ukugawulwa kwamahlathi, okwenziwa ukuze kutholakale indawo yokulima, kwandiswe amadolobha, noma kutholakale izinto zokwakha imikhumbi yaseVenice, kuye kwabangela ukuguguleka kwenhlabathi okungenakulungiseka. Ngaphandle kwezinto eziqinile ezikhukhulwa yimvula, imifula ikhukhula izinto ezingcolisayo ezinjengemithi yokukhuculula ukungcola, izibulala-zinambuzane namakhemikhali asansimbi anamandla, iziyise olwandle. Umfula iRhône eFrance, iNayile eGibithe, iPo e-Italy, i-Ebro eSpain, kanye neminye imifula, inemfucumfucu eningi yezolimo neyasezimbonini.
Omunye wemiphumela eqondile yalokhu kungcola amanzi adungekile anobuthi aye agcwala ezindaweni ezihlukahlukene zolwandle lwase-Adriatic nase-Aegean, aye asibekela amabhishi ngodaka oluxathukayo olunephunga elibi. Lesi simo sibangelwa yinqubo okuthiwa yi-eutrophication, eyenzeka lapho imfucumfucu ebolayo imunca umoya-mpilo osemanzini, okubulala izitshalo nezilwane eziningi ezikulawo manzi. Ezinye izindawo ezisongelwa yile nqubo zihlanganisa neGulf of Lions (eFrance), iLake of Tunis (eTunisia), iGulf of Izmir (eTurkey) kanye neLagoon of Venice (e-Italy).
Isimiso sezinto eziphila ogwini siye saba buthakathaka kangangokuba izilwane nezitshalo ezivela ngaphandle kweMediterranean zikhula zidlule ezakhona. Isibonelo salokhu ulwelwe “olubulalayo,” i-Caulerpa taxifolia, olubulala ezinye izitshalo zasolwandle. Njengoba lwalethwa ngephutha ogwini lwaseMonaco, manje seluqale ukwanda ekujuleni kolwandle. Lunobuthi, azikho izilwane ezaziwayo eziludlayo, futhi kakade selusakazeke yonke indawo. “Lesi kungase kube isiqalo senhlekelele ezintweni ezingokwemvelo,” kusho u-Alexandre Meinesz, uprofesa wesayensi yezinto eziphila olwandle e-University of Nice, eFrance.
Kunezinye izindaba ezimbi. Ngokwesazi sezinto eziphila olwandle uCharles-François Boudouresque, kunezilwane zasolwandle ezingaphezu kuka-300 ezivela kwezinye izindawo eziye zalethwa kuyiMediterranean. Eziningi zangena ngeSuez Canal zivela oLwandle Olubomvu. Abanye abacwaningi bakholelwa ukuthi lokhu kungcola okungokwemvelo akunakunqandwa nokuthi kungase kube ngenye yezinkinga zemvelo ezinkulu ekhulwini leminyaka elizayo.
Ukufa Emanzini
Izitshalo ezikuyiMediterranean zibhekene nezingozi eziningi, enye ukubhujiswa kwezigodi ezinotshani basolwandle i-Posidonia, obunjengamaphaphu olwandle, inqolobane yalo, nendawo yokunakekela izinto zasolwandle nanjengendawo lapho izilwane zasolwandle ezingamakhulukhulu zizalela khona. Iziteshi zamatheku ezingena kulezi zigodi zingazibhubhisa, ngokufanayo nezikebhe, ezinqamula izitshalo ngamahange azo.
Izilwane zasolwandle nazo zisongelwa ngendlela efanayo. I-monk seal yakuyiMediterranean, engolunye lwezinhlobo ezingu-12 ezisengozini kakhulu emhlabeni, isengcupheni yokuqothulwa. Kwakunama-monk seal angaba ngu-1 000 kuyiMediterranean ngo-1980, kodwa abazingeli nabadobi baye bawanciphisa kakhulu, futhi namuhla kusele aphakathi kuka-70 no-80. Izimfudu ama-loggerhead sezibekela amaqanda azo emabhishi aseGreece naseTurkey kuphela, lapho ngezinye izikhathi efahlazwa khona izivakashi ezihamba ngezinyawo ebhishi. Lezi zimfudu ngokuvamile zibanjwa amanetha okudoba futhi zigcine sezisekudleni ezitolo zendawo zokudlela. Imfanzi i-mantis, i-pen shell emaholoholo kanye ne-date mussel nazo sezibalwa phakathi kwezilwane ezisengozini.
Ukuthatha Isinyathelo
Ukuze kubhekwane nalesi simo esibucayi, ngo-1975 kwamiswa i-Mediterranean Action Plan (MAP) ngaphansi kokuqondisa kwe-UNEP. Inhloso yayo iwukubophezela amazwe akuyiMediterranean, kanye namanye amalungu e-European Union, ukuba angavikeli lolu lwandle ekungcoleni kuphela kodwa futhi aqikelele ukuthi izimiso zokwakha ogwini ziyayihlonipha indawo ezungezile. Ngo-1990 kwamiswa i-Mediterranean Environmental Technical Assistance Program (METAP), eyalandelwa yi-METAP II ngo-1993. Eminye imizamo yokwakha izindawo zokulondoloza imvelo nezindawo zokugcina izilwane zasolwandle iye yaba nemiphumela encomekayo ekuvikeleni amahlengethwa, imikhomo, ama-monk seal, izimfudu nezinye izilwane ezisengozini.
Nokho, amazwe aye abonakala ande ngomlomo kuphela. Ekuqaleni kwawo-1990, i-MAP yacishe yawa, ngoba amazwe amakhulu aneqhaza ayehluleka ukufeza imithwalo yawo. Ngokwabaphathi balolu hlelo, akukho nowodwa emigomweni yayo oye wafinyelelwa. Ekhuluma ngokuzimisela kwamazwe akuyiMediterranean ukuthatha izinyathelo zentuthuko, uLjubomir Jeftic, isekela lomxhumanisi we-MAP, waxwayisa: “Ningabi nethemba ngokweqile.” Ngisho noma la mazwe engavumelana ngokuthatha isinyathelo, kungase kuthathe amashumi eminyaka ukulungisa umonakalo osewenziwe kakade. Umagazini i-New Scientist uyaphawula: “Okwamanje, kubonakala sengathi i-MAP ifile, njengezilwane eziningi zakuyiMediterranean.”
Khona-ke, liyini ikusasa leMediterranean? Ingabe iyoba ulwandle olufile olugcwele ulwelwe olunephunga elibi noluxathukayo? Mhlawumbe kuyoba njalo uma ikusasa layo lixhomeke kumuntu. Nokho, uMdali wale planethi, uJehova uNkulunkulu, uyalukhathalela ‘ulwandle, alwenza.’ (IHubo 95:5) Uthembise ukuthi ngokushesha ‘uyochitha labo abachitha umhlaba.’ (IsAmbulo 11:18) Ngemva kokususwa ngokufanele kwabantu abangenandaba abangcolisa ngisho nezilwandle, uNkulunkulu uyokwenza imvelo nezinhlobonhlobo zezinto eziphilayo kuphinde kusimame embulungeni yethu. Khona-ke, ‘izilwandle nakho konke okuphila kuzo kuyakumbonga’ ngesimo sako esihle esingonakalisiwe.—IHubo 69:34.
[Ibalazwe/Izithombe ekhasini 15]
(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)
ATLANTIC
PORTUGAL
SPAIN
MOROCCO
FRANCE
MONACO
ALGERIA
TUNISIA
SLOVENIA
ITALY
CROATIA
YUGOSLAVIA
ALBANIA
MALTA
GREECE
TURKEY
LIBYA
EGYPT
CYPRUS
SYRIA
LEBANON
ISRAEL
[Izithombe ekhasini 16]
Amahhotela aseBenidorm, eSpain
ELloret de Mar, eCosta Brava, eSpain
Ukwakha ngokweqile kuye kwabangela ukungcola
[Izithombe ekhasini 16]
Amanzi aseSpain angcolisiwe kanye (ngezansi) nowoyela ochitheke eGenoa, e-Italy
[Umthombo]
V. Sichov/Sipa Press
[Izithombe ekhasini 17]
Izimfudu ama-“loggerhead” ziyasongelwa
Ama-“monk seal” akuyi-Mediterranean asengcupheni yokuqothulwa
[Imithombo]
Turtle: Tony Arruza/Corbis; Seal: Panos Dendrinos/HSSPMS