Umhlaba Wethu Omuhle—Ungakanani Esiyowushiyela Izingane Zethu?
NGOKWEMIBIKO eshicilelwe, kusukela ngonyaka ka-1970 kuye kwazalwa, izingane eziyizigidi eziyizinkulungwane eziyi-1,7 emhlabeni. Uma bezakha isizwe, bekuyoba isizwe esikhulu kunazo zonke emhlabeni. Ingabe akulungile ukubuza ukuthi, Hlobo luni lwezwe esizishiyela lona?
Eminyakeni engaphezu kwengama-25 edlule udokotela odumile woMnyango Wezempilo Womphakathi waseU.S. waphawula: “Sonke siphila ngokwesaba okubeleselayo kokuthi okuthile kungase konakalise indawo ezungezile kuze kube sezingeni lapho umuntu ejoyina amadinosaurs njengendela yokuphila yakudala.”
Eminyakeni edlule, lokho kwesaba kuye kwaqina. Ngonyaka odlule umhlangano wesizwe, owawuhlelwe ososayensi bezinto eziphilayo cishe abayikhulu, waxwayisa ngokuthi kwakuza igagasi lokuphela nya kwezinto eziphilayo njengalelo elaqeda amadinosaurs, kodwa manje ngeke kube ngezehlakalo ezingokwemvelo kodwa kuyoba “ngemisebenzi yomuntu.”
Kulonyaka iWorldwatch Institute yakhipha umbiko wayo iState of the World 1987. Wathi: “Umphakathi okhathalela ukondla wanelisa izidingo zawo ngaphandle kokunciphisa amathemba esizukulwane esilandelayo. Ngezenzo eziningi, umphakathi wanamuhla uyahluleka ukuhlangabezana nalesimiso. Imibuzo yokulondolozwa kwendawo ezungezile nokuphila kuyo iyaphakama kuwo wonke amazwekazi. Izinga lemisebenzi yomuntu seliqalile ukusongela umhlaba ngokwawo njengofanelekela ukuhlalwa kuwo.”
Umbiko weinstitute wathi izidingo zabantu abangaphezu kwezigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezinhlanu—namanani azo ayanda ngezigidi ezingama-83 ngonyaka—zinqoba amandla okuzivuselela ezimiso zezinto eziphilayo zomhlaba.
Ukungcolisa kwamakhemikhali kwenza buthakathaka umoya osemkhathini okuthiwa iozone futhi kungase kuholele “ekubangeleni imidlavuza yesikhumba eyengeziwe, konakalise isimiso somzimba womuntu sokuzivikela ezifweni, futhi kukhubaze ukukhula kwezitshalo.”
Uma imvula eneacid iqhubeka, ngeke nje kuphela kufe amachibi namahlathi amaningi kodwa umhlabathi uyoba neacid ngokwengeziwe futhi “ungase uthathe amashumi eminyaka, uma kungewona amakhulu, ukuba uphinde uvuseleleke.”
Izindlela zokulima ezithuthukisiwe “ziye zandisa izinga Ukuguguleka komhlabathi ongaphezulu elingaphezu kwelokwakheka komhlabathi omusha.”
Ukuphela kwamahlathi kunciphisa isilinganiso ecarbon dioxide esemkhathini kanye nokushiswa kwemithombo yamandla engokwemvelo kukhulula icarbon dioxide eningi kunaleyo izitshalo ezisele nezilwandle ezingayisebenzisa. Umphumela uba ukufudumala kwemikhakha yomkhathi engaphansi ekugcineni engase incibilikise amadwala eqhwa futhi ikhukhule amadolobha asogwini.
Ukuphela kwamahlathi asezindaweni ezishisa kakhulu kusho ukujikeleza okuncane kwamanzi emvula, futhi kungaholela ekwakhekeni kwezingwadule.
Amakhemikhali ayingozi, ukungcola okusobala, uwoyela ongahluziwe, izingozi zenuzi, igesi okuthiwa iradon, amamicrowave, itsheboya —lungaqhubeka njalo uhlu lwezono zomuntu endaweni ezungezile.
iState of the World 1987 iyaxwayisa: “Akukaze kwenzeke ukuba izimiso eziningi kangaka ezibalulekile emhlabeni njengolungele ukuhlalwa ziphele kanye kanye. Izinkinga ezintsha zendawo ezungezile nazo futhi zifinyelela inkathi yezikhathi nezindawo zomhlaba ezingaphezu kwamandla ezinhlangano ezikhona zezombangazwe nezenhlalo. Asikho nesisodwa isizwe esingabuyisela esimweni isimo sezulu somhlaba, sivikele umkhakha womoya okuthiwa yiozone, sivikele isembozo sikanozungezilanga samahlathi nomhlabathi, noma siqede ukuphenduka kwamachibi nemifula abe neacid. Isibopho sezwe lonke kuphela esiyokwenza lokhu ngokwanelisayo.”
Lesibopho sisindwa izinyawo, futhi isikhathi siyaphela. Izigidi zezinkulungwane zichithelwa ekuncintisaneni ngezikhali; imadlana encane isetshenziselwa ekulondolozeni indawo ezungezile esondlayo futhi ukungayinaki kwethu kungasibulala. Kusukela ngo-1983 iUnited States kuphela iye yanikela amaRandi ayizigidi
eziyizinkulungwane eziyi-18 ekucwaningeni Ngokuzivikela Ngezikhali futhi ifuna amaRandi ayizigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezingama-66 engeziwe ngenxa yalokhu kusukela ngo-1986 kuya ku-1991—kodwa iba ungoqo ngokuqondene nendawo ezungezile. Nezinye izizwe ezithuthukile kwezemisebenzi zenza okufanayo. iState of the World 1987 ibeka lolusizi ngamafuphi: “Sesifikile isikhathi sokuthelelana amanzi ukuze sithelelane amanzi nomhlaba.”
Lombiko uthi, “ikusasa eligxilile libizela ukuba sonke kanye kanye sivimbele ukunqwabelana kwecarbon dioxide, sivikele umkhakha womoya okuthiwa , silonde amahlathi nomhlabathi, sinqamule ukwanda kwenani labantu, sisekele ikhono lokwakha imithombo yamandla, futhi sithuthukise imithombo yamandla ovuselelekayo. Asikho isizukulwane nanini esike sabhekana nenkimbinkimbi yezinkinga ezidinga ukuxazululwa ngokushesha. Izizukulwane ezidlule ziye zakhathazeka ngaso sonke isikhathi ngekusasa, kodwa singabokuqala ababhekene nezinqumo eziyonquma ukuthi umhlaba oyifa elidliwa yizingane zethu uyohlaleka.”
Isihloko esilandelayo sibonisa usizi oluvela kumakhemikhali ayingozi.