Siphumelelé Kangakanani Ekongeni Imvelo? — Watchtower UMTAPO OKUYI-INTHANETHI

Siphumelelé Kangakanani Ekongeni Imvelo?

ICHERNOBYL, iBhopal, iValdez, iThree Mile Island. Cishe amagama anjengalawa aletha imifanekiso yezinhlekelele ezilimaza imvelo eziye zenzeka ezingxenyeni ezihlukahlukene zomhlaba. Ngayinye yalezi zinhlekelele yasikhumbuza ukuthi imvelo iyahlaselwa.

Izazi ezihlukahlukene nabantu ngabanye baye baveza umuzwa oyisixwayiso. Abanye baye babhikisha beveza imizwa yabo obala. Umgcini-zincwadi womtapo othile oyiNgisi wazibophela kugandaganda ukuze abonise ukuthi wayemelene nokwakhiwa komgwaqo endaweni eyayinemvelo entekenteke. Abesifazane ababili boMdabu base-Australia báhola umkhankaso omelene nokumbiwa kwe-uranium endaweni yombuso yokulondoloza imvelo. Umsebenzi wokumba wamiswa. Nakuba zizinhle izinhloso zale mizamo, ngezinye izikhathi ayamukelwa ngendlela enhle. Ngokwesibonelo, ukaputeni othile wamabutho asolwandle ngesikhathi sokubusa kweSoviet wayekhathazekile ngokuphuma kwemisebe yenuzi emishinini yemikhumbi-ngwenya yenuzi eyayicwilile. Lapho ekhipha ukwaziswa kwezindawo eyayicwile kuzo, waboshwa.

Izinhlangano ezihlukahlukene nazo bezilokhu zihlaba umkhosi ngezinto eziyizinsongo emvelweni. Zihlanganisa i-United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization; i-United Nations Environment Programme; ne-Greenpeace. Ezinye zimane nje zibike ngezinkinga zemvelo lapho kwenzeka zithinta umsebenzi wazo. Ezinye zinomuzwa oqinile wokuveza izindaba ezimayelana nemvelo. Kwaziwa kahle ukuthi i-Greenpeace iyaye ithumele abagqugquzeli bokongiwa kwemvelo nomaphi lapho kunezimpikiswano ngemvelo nokuthi iyaye ivuse umphakathi ukuba uphaphamele izindaba ezinjengokushisa kwembulunga yonke, izilwane noma izitshalo ezisengozini, nezingozi zezilwane noma izitshalo ezishintshwe izakhi zofuzo.

Abanye abagqugquzeli bathi “bayabhikisha ukuze baveze izinkinga zemvelo yembulunga yonke.” Ngakho basebenzisa izindlela ezinjengokuzibophela emasangweni omshini wezingodo ukuze babhikishele ukuqothulwa kwamahlathi amadala. Elinye iqembu labagqugquzeli labonisa ukungahambisani kwalo nezwe elithile elalephula umthetho wokuvinjelwa kokuzingelwa kwemikhomo ngesikhathi esithile ngokuvela ezindlini zamanxusa alelo zwe lifake izinhlamvu zamehlo ezinkulu ukuze libonise ukuthi izenzo zaleli zwe zazibhekiwe.

Ziningi izinto ezibhikishelwayo. Ngokwesibonelo, abantu ngabanye nezinhlangano baye baxwayisa ngokuphindaphindiwe ngezingozi zokungcoliswa kwamanzi. Noma kunjalo, kusemnyama phambili. Abantu abayizigidi eziyinkulungwane basantula amanzi okuphuza aphephile. Ngokukamagazini i-Time, “abantu abayizigidi ezingu-3,4 bayafa minyaka yonke ngenxa yezifo eziphathelene namanzi.” Ukungcoliswa komoya kuyinkinga efanayo. I-State of World Population 2001 ibika ukuthi “umoya ongcolile ubulala abantu abalinganiselwa ezigidini ezingu-2,7 kuya kwezingu-3,0 minyaka yonke.” Inezela ngokuthi “ukungcola komoya ongaphandle kulimaza abantu abangaphezu kwezigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezingu-1,1.” Ngokwesibonelo, ibika ukuthi “izinhlayiyana ezicolisakele ezingcolisa umoya zibangela izifo zomgudu womoya ezingamaphesenti ayishumi ezinganeni zaseYurophu.” Yebo, naphezu kwezixwayiso nezinyathelo esezithathiwe kuze kube manje, izinkinga ezihlobene nalezi zici ezibaluleke kakhulu ezidingekayo ukuze umuntu aphile bezilokhu nje ziqhubekela phambili.

Kwabaningi, lesi simo siyindida. Kunokwaziswa okuningi kunanini ngaphambili okumayelana nemvelo. Izinhlangano nabantu abaningi kunanini ngaphambili banesithakazelo sokubona imvelo ihlanzekile. Ohulumeni baye bamisa iminyango yokusiza ekuxazululeni lezi zinkinga. Sinobuchwepheshe obukhulu kunanini ngaphambili obungasisiza ukuba sibhekane nezinkinga. Yize kunjalo, kubonakala luselude ukhalo. Kungani?

Siyahlehla Kunokuba Siye Phambili

Intuthuko yezezimboni yayihloselwe ukuba yenze ukuphila kwethu kube lula. Ngandlela-thile ikwenzile. Nokho, yiyona kanye le “ntuthuko” eshubisa izinkinga zemvelo. Siyazazisa izinto izimboni eziye zazisungula nenqubekela phambili eziye zasilethela yona, kodwa ukukhiqizwa kwazo lezi zinto nokuzisebenzisa kwethu ngokuvamile kuye kwaholela ekonakalisweni kwezingxenye ezithile zomhlaba wethu.

Isibonelo salokhu yizimoto. Ziye zenza ukuhamba kwaba lula futhi kwashesha. Bambalwa abantu abangathanda ukubuyela emuva enkathini yezinqola ezidonswa amahhashi. Noma kunjalo, ezokuthutha zanamuhla ziye zaba nomthelela enqwabeni yezinkinga. Enye yazo ukushisa kwembulunga yonke. Abantu bebelokhu beshintsha amakhemikhali omoya osemkhathini ngokusebenzisa izinto ezikhafula izigidigidi zamathani amagesi. La magesi kuthiwa abangela isivuvu, esibangela ukushisa komoya osemkhathini. Amazinga okushisa aye enyuka ekhulwini leminyaka elidlule. I-Environmental Protection Agency yase-United States ibika ukuthi “iminyaka eyishumi eshisa kunayo yonke yekhulu lama-20 yonke iye yaba phakathi neminyaka engu-15 yokugcina.” Abanye ososayensi bakholelwa ukuthi kuleli khulu lama-21, isilinganiso samazinga okushisa embulungeni yonke singase senyuke ngama-degrees Celsius asukela ku-1,4 kuya ku-5,8.

Amazinga okushisa aphakeme kulindeleke ukuba adale ezinye izinkinga. Iqhwa elemboze ingxenye eseNyakatho Nenkabazwe belilokhu lincipha. Ungqimba lweqhwa olungamakhilomitha-skwele angu-3 250 e-Antarctica lwagidlika ekuqaleni kuka-2002. Amanzi olwandle angase aphakame ngezinga eliphawulekayo kuleli khulu leminyaka. Njengoba ingxenye yesithathu yomphakathi womhlaba ihlala eduze kolwandle, lokhu kungase kuholele ekulahlekelweni amakhaya namasimu. Kungase kudalele namadolobha asogwini ubunzima obukhulu.

Ososayensi bakholelwa ukuthi amazinga okushisa aphakeme ayoholela ezimvuleni eziningi, eziyohambisana nokuvama kwezimo zezulu eziyinqaba. Abanye banomuzwa wokuthi iziphepho ezinkulu ezinjengaleso esabulala abantu abangu-90 futhi sacekela phansi imithi eyizigidi ezingu-270 eFrance ngo-1999 zimane nje ziyisandulela salokho okuzayo. Abanye abacwaningi banomuzwa wokuthi izinguquko zesimo sezulu ziyoholela ekubhebhethekeni kwezifo ezinjengomalaleveva, udenga, nekholera.

Isibonelo sezimoto sibonisa ukuthi iyinkimbinkimbi kangakanani imiphumela yobuchwepheshe—izinto ezisunguliwe ngokuvamile eziwusizo kubantu zingase zidale inqwaba yezinkinga ezihambisana nazo ezithinta izici eziningi zokuphila. Awave eyiqiniso amazwi ashiwo yi-Human Development Report 2001: “Intuthuko ngayinye yezobuchwepheshe iletha izinzuzo nezingozi, ezinye zazo okungelula ukuzibona kusengaphambili.”

Sivame ukubheka kwezobuchwepheshe ukuba ziveze amakhambi ezinkinga zemvelo. Ngokwesibonelo, sekuyisikhathi eside abashisekela ukongiwa kwemvelo bekhala ngokusetshenziswa kwemithi yokubulala izinambuzane eziwuhlupho. Lapho kuvezwa izitshalo ezishintshwe izakhi zofuzo eziyonciphisa noma eziyoqeda isidingo sezibulali zinambuzane, kwabonakala sengathi ubuchwepheshe babuvele nekhambi elihle. Nokho, endabeni yomuthi i-Bt corn, owasungulwa ukuze kuqedwe izihlava ngaphandle kokusebenzisa isibulali zinambuzane, ukuhlola kwaveza ukuthi ungabulala nezimvemvane zohlobo lwama-monarch. Ngakho, ngezinye izikhathi “amakhambi” aba nemiphumela engathandeki futhi angaholela ezinkingeni ezengeziwe.

Ingabe Ohulumeni Bangasiza?

Njengoba ukucekelwa phansi kwemvelo kuyinkinga enkulu kangaka, ikhambi eliphumelelayo belingadinga ukuba ohulumeni bomhlaba babambisane. Kuyancomeka ukuthi kwezinye izimo abamelele ohulumeni baye babonisa isibindi esidingekayo sokutusa izinguquko ezinhle eziyosiza imvelo. Nokho, imiphumela engokoqobo yalokho iye yaba mincane futhi yagqoza.

Isibonelo salokhu ingqungquthela yamazwe ngamazwe eyabanjelwa eJapane ngo-1997. Izizwe zaqagulisana zashudulisana ngemibandela yesivumelwano sokunciphisa amagesi okuthiwa abangela ukushisa kwembulunga yonke. Makhathaleni, abaningi bengasathembi, kwafinyelelwa esivumelwaneni. Lesi sivumelwano sabizwa ngokuthi i-Kyoto Protocol. Amazwe athuthukile, njengoMbimbi LweYurophu, iJapane, ne-United States, ayezobe esenciphise lawo magesi ngesilinganiso esingamaphesenti angu-5,2 ngo-2012. Kwezwakala kukuhle lokho. Nokho, ekuqaleni kuka-2001, uhulumeni wase-United States wabonisa ukuthi uyasilaxaza isivumelwano se-Kyoto Protocol. Lokhu kuye kwamangaza abaningi, njengoba i-United States yize inabantu abangaphansi kwamaphesenti amahlanu enani labantu abasemhlabeni, ikhipha ingxenye yesine yamagesi abangela ukushisa. Ngaphezu kwalokho, abanye ohulumeni babevele bemadolonzima ekusayindeni lesi sivumelwano.

Isibonelo esingenhla sibonisa indlela okunzima ngayo ngohulumeni ukuba bavele namakhambi awusizo. Kunzima ukuhlanganisa ohulumeni abahlukahlukene, kunzima nakubo ukuvumelana ngendlela yokubhekana nezinkinga zemvelo. Ngisho nalapho besayinda izivumelwano, abanye bayahoxa kamuva. Abanye bakuthola kulukhuni ukwenza lezo zivumelwano zisebenze. Kwezinye izimo, ohulumeni noma izinkampane ziba nomuzwa wokuthi azikwazi ukwamukela izindleko ezihilelekile ekuhlanzeni imvelo. Kwezinye izimo kumane nje kuyindaba yokuhaha, njengoba izikhondlakhondla zezentengiselwano zinethonya elikhulu kohulumeni ukuba benqabe ukuthatha izinyathelo ezinciphisa inzuzo etholwa amabhizinisi. Kuyaziwa ukuthi amabhizinisi nezinkampane eziningi zithanda ukuthola konke ezingakuthola ezweni ngaphandle kokucabangela imiphumela yesikhathi esizayo.

Okwenza ukuba izinto zibe zimbi nakakhulu, ukuthi akubona bonke ososayensi abavumelanayo ngokuthi imiphumela yokungcola komhlaba iyoba mibi kangakanani. Ngakho, ababeka imigomo kahulumeni bangase bangaqiniseki ukuthi kumelwe banqande ukukhula komnotho ngezinga elingakanani ukuze balawule inkinga okungenzeka ayinkulu njengokucabanga kwabanye.

Isintu sisenkingeni ngempela. Wonke umuntu uyazi ukuthi kunenkinga ekhona nokuthi kudingeka kwenziwe okuthile ngayo. Ezinye izizwe zenza umzamo oqotho, kodwa yize kunjalo eziningi zezinkinga zemvelo ziya ngokuya zikhula. Ingabe lo mhlaba uyomane nje ube indawo engasakufanelekeli ukuba abantu bahlale kuyo? Ake siwuhlole ngokulandelayo lo mbuzo.

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UMSINDO

Kunolunye uhlobo lokungcola olungabonakali kodwa oluzwiwayo—umsindo. Izazi zithi kufanelekile ukukhathazeka ngawo ngoba ungadala ukuvaleka kwezindlebe, ukucindezeleka, umfutho wegazi ophakeme, ukuqwasha nomsebenzi wezinga eliphansi. Izingane ezifunda ezindaweni ezinomsindo kungenzeka zibe nezinkinga zokufunda.

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UKUQOTHULWA KWAMAHLATHI KUHOLELA EKWANDENI KWAMAGUNDANE

Lapho amadolobha angu-15 eSamar, ePhilippines, ehlushwa kakhulu amagundane, umthombo kahulumeni wathi kwakubangelwa ukuqothulwa kwamahlathi kuleso sifundazwe. Ukuphela kwamahlathi kwaholela ekupheleni kwezilwane eziphila ngamagundane nasekupheleni kokudla kwamagundane. La magundane abe esethuthela ezindaweni ezinabantu abaningi ethungatha ukudla.

[Umthombo]

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IZISULU ZEMFUCUMFUCU ENOBUTHI?

Lapho uMichael eneminyaka emithathu nengxenye ubudala, kwatholakala ukuthi unesimila ebuchosheni, uhlobo oluthile lomdlavuza. Ukube lokhu kwakwenzeke kuye yedwa, kwakungeke kwenze abantu bavuse izinhlonze. Nokho, ngemva kwalokhu kwatholakala ukuthi ezinye izingane ezingaba yikhulu zakuleyo ndawo nazo zazinomdlavuza. Lokhu kwabethusa abazali abaningi. Abanye bacabanga ukuthi mhlawumbe inani eliphakeme ngendlela engavamile labantu abanomdlavuza lalihlobene nezinkampane zamakhemikhali kuleyo ndawo. Ukuhlola kwathola ukuthi inkampane ethile ezimele yomthuthambi yayiye yathatha imiphongolo enoketshezi olunobuthi kwenye inkampane yayoyilahla endaweni eyayiyipulazi lezinkukhu ngaphambili, ngezinye izikhathi yayiyichitha le miphongolo. Abacwaningi bathola iminonjana yalobu buthi emithonjeni yamanzi yendawo. Abazali bayazibuza ukuthi akunakwenzeka yini ukuthi yikho lokhu okwabangela umdlavuza ezinganeni zabo.

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AMAKHEMIKHALI ANOBUTHI

Ngemva kweMpi Yezwe II, amathani angu-120 000 amakhemikhali anobuthi, ikakhulukazi i-phosgene ne-mustard gas, afakwa emikhunjini avalwa abe esecwiliswa olwandle, amanye ngasenyakatho-ntshonalanga yeNyakatho Ireland. Ososayensi baseRussia baye baxwayisa ngokuthi kunengozi yokuthi la makhemikhali asezovuza.

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UKUNGCOLA KOMOYA KUYABULALA

I-World Health Organization ithi ukufa kwabantu abangamaphesenti aphakathi kwamahlanu nayisithupha emhlabeni wonke okwenzeka minyaka yonke kubangelwa ukungcola komoya. E-Ontario, eCanada kuphela, kubikwa ukuthi izakhamuzi zisebenzisa amaRandi angaphezu kwezigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezingu-5,6 minyaka yonke ezindlekweni zezempilo nasekuphutheni emsebenzini okubangelwa umoya ongcolile.

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IZIXHOBO ZAMAKHORALI EZIFAYO

Abanye abadobi eNingizimu-mpumalanga ye-Asia basebenzisa ubuthi be-cyanide ukuze badunge izinhlanzi umqondo, okwenza kube lula ukuzibamba. Imizimba yalezi zinhlanzi iyabukhipha lobu buthi, ngakho zisakufanelekela ukudliwa. Nokho lobu buthi buyahlala olwandle, bubulale izixhobo zamakhorali.

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INGABE KUFANELE UGQOKE ISIFIHLABUSO?

Umagazini i-Asiaweek ubika ukuthi ukungcola okuningi komoya wasemadolobheni ase-Asia kubangelwa umusi okhishwa yizimoto. Ngokuvamile izimoto ezihamba ngo-diesel nezithuthuthu yizo ezingcolisa kakhulu, zikhipha ingxenye enkulu yezinhlayiya ezicolisakele ezisemoyeni. Lezi zinhlayiya zidala izinkinga eziningi zempilo. Wona lo magazini uyabika: “Isazi saseTaiwan esingungqá phambili ekuhlolweni kwemiphumela yokungcola, uDkt. Chan Chang-chuan, sithi amagesi akhishwa u-diesel abangela umdlavuza.” Abanye abantu emadolobheni ase-Asia bafaka izifihlabuso ngomzamo wokuzivikela. Ziyasiza yini lezi zifihlabuso? UDkt. Chan uthi: “Lezi zifihlabuso azisebenzi. Ukungcola okuningi kungamagesi nezinhlayiya ezincane kangangokuba isifihlabuso esijwayelekile asikwazi ukukuhlunga. Ngaphandle kwalokho, . . . azenzelwanga ukuba zivimbe umoya. Ngakho zikwenza uzizwe ulondekile kube kungenjalo.”

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Ukutshala imithi kabusha ehlathini ukuze kusize ekulondolozweni kwemvelo

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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