Ukuncipha Komcebo Womhlaba

“Emvelweni zonke izinto ziyahlobana, futhi manje sesiyavuna ngamaphutha ethu esikhathi esidlule.”—Umagazini i-African Wildlife.

NGOKWE-WORLD WILDLIFE FUND, kusukela ngawo-1980 abantu bebelokhu besebenzisa imithombo yemvelo yomhlaba ngezinga elikhulu kunalelo ekwazi ukuzivuselela ngalo. * Kodwa lokho kuwuphawu olulodwa nje olubonisa ukuthi imvelo ithwele kanzima kangakanani.

Olunye uphawu yisimo sobudlelwane bezinto eziphila emhlabeni. Inkulumo ethi “ubudlelwane bezinto eziphilayo” ibhekisela ekuhlobaneni okuyinkimbinkimbi kwazo zonke izinto ezikhona emvelweni, kuhlanganise izinto eziphilayo nezingaphili. Impilo yabo bonke ubudlelwane obunjalo—ebonakala enanini lezilwane zasehlathini, zasemachibini, nezasolwandle—yakha lokho i-World Wildlife Fund ekubiza ngokuthi iNkomba Yokuphila Yeplanethi. Phakathi kuka-1970 no-2000, le nkomba yehla cishe ngamaphesenti angu-37.

Ingabe Imithombo Yemvelo Yanele?

Uma uhlala ezweni laseNtshonalanga lapho amashalofu asezitolo ehlala egcwele khona futhi izitolo zivulwa kuze kuse, kunzima ukucabanga ukuthi kunokuntuleka okusondelayo kwemithombo yemvelo. Noma kunjalo, bayingcosana kuphela abantu emhlabeni abadla kusale. Abaningi baxhakathiswe umshikashika wokuthola okokuziphilisa nsuku zonke. Ngokwesibonelo, kulinganiselwa ukuthi abantu abangaphezu kwezigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezimbili baphila ngemali engama-dollar amathathu noma ngaphansi ngosuku kanti abayizigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezimbili abakwazi ukuthola izinkonzo zikagesi ezingabizi kakhulu.

Abanye abantu basola inkambiso yezohwebo yamazwe acebile ukuthi iyona ebangela ubumpofu emazweni asathuthuka. I-Vital Signs 2003 ithi: “Ngezindlela ezihlukahlukene, umnotho womhlaba awubaboneleli abampofu.” Njengoba abantu abengeziwe belwela ukuthola ingxenyana encane kodwa emba eqolo yemikhiqizo yemvelo, labo abadla imbuya ngothi abakwazi ngisho nokuzitholela lokho okubafanele. Lokho-ke kwenza ingxenye enkulu yemithombo yemvelo ibe ngeyalabo abanamandla okuyithenga—okuwukuthi, abacebile.

 Amahlathi Anyamalalayo

Kulinganiselwa ukuthi amaphesenti angu-80 abantu base-Afrika asapheka ngezinkuni. Ngaphezu kwalokho, “i-Afrika inezinga eliphakeme kakhulu lokwanda kwabantu [kanye] nezinga eliphakeme kakhulu labantu abathuthela emadolobheni emhlabeni,” kusho umagazini waseNingizimu Afrika i-Getaway. Ngenxa yalokho, indawo ezungeze amadolobha athile amakhulu aseSahel, indawo ebanzi esagwadule esemaphethelweni aseningizimu yoGwadule iSahara, ayisenayo imithi ibanga elingaphezu kwamakhilomitha ayikhulu nxazonke zayo. Leyo mithi ayigawulwanga ngezizathu ezingezwakali. UProfesa Samuel Nana-Sinkam uthi: ‘Inani elikhulu kakhulu labantu base-Afrika licekela phansi imvelo yalo ukuze nje likwazi ukuqhubeka liphila.’

Isimo sihluke kakhulu eNingizimu Melika. Ngokwesibonelo, eBrazil, kunezinkampani ezingaba ngu-7 600 ezibhaliswe ngokomthetho ezigawula imithi ehlathini lemvula. Eziningi zazo ziphethwe yizinkampani ezinkulu zamazwe ngamazwe. Inkampani egawula imithi ikhokha imali engaba ngu-R200 ngomuthi ngamunye wemahogani. Nokho, uma abadayisi, abahwebi, nabenzi befenisha sebethola inzuzo yabo, wona lowo muthi ofanayo ungangenisa imali engaphezu kuka-R850 000 ungakafiki nasendaweni yokukhangisa ngefenisha. Yingakho imahogani iye yabizwa ngokuthi igolide eliluhlaza.

Kuningi okuye kwanyatheliswa ngokucekelwa phansi kwehlathi lemvula laseBrazil. Izithombe zeziphuphutheki (satellite) zibonisa ukuthi unyaka ngamunye phakathi kuka-1995 no-2000 kwakucekelwa phansi amakhilomitha-skwele angaphezu kwangu-20 000 ehlathi laseBrazil. Umagazini waseBrazil i-Veja uyabika: “Leli zinga elishaqisayo lokucekelwa phansi lisho ukuthi kwakunyamalala indawo eyihlathi engangenkundla kanobhutshuzwayo njalo ngemizuzwana engu-8.” Ngokuthakazelisayo, elase-United States lilodwa kubikwa ukuthi lathenga amaphesenti angaphezu kwangu-70 emithi yemahogani yaseBrazil ngonyaka ka-2000.

Isimo sokugawulwa kwamahlathi siyefana  nakwezinye izingxenye zomhlaba. Ngokwesibonelo, ingxenye yamahlathi aseMexico atshalwayo nawemvelo iye yanyamalala kule minyaka engu-50 edlule. Ukucekelwa phansi kwamahlathi asePhilippines kuye kwaba kubi nakakhulu. Lelo zwe lilahlekelwa amahlathi angaphezu kwamahektare angu-100 000 minyaka yonke, futhi emuva ngo-1999 kwalinganiselwa ukuthi uma izinto ziqhubeka ngalelo zinga, leli zwe liyobe selilahlekelwe cishe izingxenye ezimbili kwezintathu zamahlathi phakathi neminyaka eyishumi.

Kungathatha iminyaka engu-60 kuya kweyikhulu ukuba umuthi wokhuni oluqinile ukhule ngokugcwele kodwa kuthatha imizuzu embalwa nje ukuwugawula. Ingabe kufanele kusimangaze ukuthi amahlathi ethu ayaphela?

Indawo Egugulekayo

Lapho inhlabathi ingasenalo uhlaza, ngokushesha inhlabathi engaphezulu iyoma futhi ipheshethwe umoya noma ikhukhulwe amanzi. Le nqubo ibizwa ngokuthi ukuguguleka kwenhlabathi.

Ukuguguleka kwenhlabathi kwenzeka ngokwemvelo futhi ngokuvamile akuyona inkinga enkulu—ngaphandle kwalapho umuntu ebhebhethekisa le nqubo ngokungayinakekeli kahle indawo. Ngokwesibonelo, umagazini i-China Today uthi iziphepho zesihlabathi, kanye nezinye izinto ezinjengokugawulwa kwamahlathi nokuklaba kwemfuyo ngokweqile, “kuye kwabhebhethekisa ukukhula” kwezingwadule. Isomiso esingavamile eminyakeni yamuva nje siye sashiya izifundazwe zasentshonalanga nasenyakatho-ntshonalanga yeChina zisengozini yemimoya ebandayo yaseSiberia evunguza kule ndawo. Kuye kwapheshulwa izigidi zamathani esihlabathi esiphuzi, esinye saze sayofinyelela ezindaweni eziqhele njengaseKorea naseJapane. Amaphesenti angaba ngu-25 ezwe laseChina manje awugwadule.

Inhlabathi yase-Afrika icekeleka phansi ngezizathu ezifanayo. I-Africa Geographic ithi: “Ngokugawula amahlathi ukuze kutshalwe izilimo ezisanhlamvu, abalimi baye bawohloza inhlabathi ngendlela engenakulungiseka.” Kulinganiselwa ukuthi ngemva kokucaba endaweni ethile ukuze kulinywe, ngeminyaka emithathu nje leyo ndawo ilahlekelwa amaphesenti angu-50 okuvunda kwayo. Ngakho, lo magazini uyanezela: “Izigidi zamahektare kakade azisenakulungiseka futhi njengoba izivuno zezolimo kwezinye izindawo zincipha unyaka nonyaka kunezinye izigidi ezizoba sesimweni esifanayo.”

Kuthiwa eBrazil kuguguleka inhlabathi engamathani ayizigidi ezingu-500 minyaka yonke. EMexico uMnyango Wezemvelo Nemithombo Yemvelo uthi amaphesenti angu-53 ezindawo ezinemithi ebhashile, amaphesenti angu-59 amahlathi emvelo, namaphesenti angu-72 amahlathi atshalwayo anenkinga yokuguguleka kwenhlabathi. Umbiko we-United Nations Development Programme uthi sekukonke, “ukuguguleka kwenhlabathi kuthinta cishe izingxenye ezimbili kwezintathu zendawo elinywayo emhlabeni wonke. Ngenxa yalokho, isivuno sezolimo siyancipha kakhulu, kuyilapho inani labantu okufanele bondliwe liqhubeka lenyuka.”

Amanzi—Atholakala Mahhala Kodwa Ayigugu

Umuntu angaphila cishe inyanga engadli, kodwa angafa cishe ngemva kwesonto elilodwa ngaphandle kwamanzi. Ngenxa yalokho, ochwepheshe bathi ukuncipha kwemithombo yamanzi ahlanzekile kuyoba imbangela yezingxabano ezinkulu eminyakeni ezayo. Ngokombiko ka-2002 kamagazini i-Time, emhlabeni wonke abantu abangaphezu kwezigidi eziyinkulungwane abawatholi kalula amanzi okuphuza ahlanzekile.

Kunezizathu eziningi ezibangela ukuntuleka kwamanzi. EFrance, ukungcoliswa kwendawo kunomthelela futhi kuyimbangela ekhulayo yokukhathazeka. I-Figaro ithi: “Imifula yaseFrance isesimweni esibi.” Ososayensi baye bathola ukuthi  inkinga ibangelwa ukugeleza kwamanzi agcwele ama-nitrate, avela ngokuyinhloko kumanyolo osetshenziswa kwezolimo. Leli phephandaba lithi: “Imifula yaseFrance yachithela amathani angu-375 000 ama-nitrate olwandle lwase-Atlantic ngo-1999, okuyinani elicishe liliphinde kabili elango-1985.”

Kuyisimo esifanayo eJapane. Ukuze bakhiqize ukudla okwanele kulelo zwe, “abalimi babengenakwenza ngokunye ngaphandle kokuthembela kumanyolo wamakhemikhali nezibulala-zinambuzane ukuze banelise izidingo zomphakathi,” kusho uYutaka Une, ongumphathi wenhlangano yezokuphepha kwezolimo engasebenzeli inzuzo. Lokhu kuye kwangcolisa amanzi angaphansi komhlaba—isimo i-IHT Asahi Shimbun yaseTokyo esibiza ngokuthi “inkinga enkulu kulo lonke elaseJapane.”

EMexico, amaphesenti angu-35 ezifo zakhona “abangelwa yizici zemvelo,” kubika iphephandaba i-Reforma. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ucwaningo lukangqongqoshe wezempilo lwembula ukuthi “isakhamuzi esisodwa kwezine asinayo indawo yokuchitha indle; ezingaphezu kwezigidi ezingu-8 zikha amanzi emithonjeni, emifuleni, emachibini, noma emihosheni; kanti ezingaphezu kwesigidi zithola amanzi ngamaloli athwala amanzi.” Yingakho abantu abangaphezu kwamaphesenti angu-90 ababa nesifo sohudo eMexico kuthiwa baguliswa amanzi angcolile!

“Emabhishi aseRio akutholakali ilanga elishisayo, isihlabathi esimhlophe nolwandle oluluhlaza kuphela,” kusho umagazini waseBrazil i-Veja. “Kukhona nenqwaba yamagciwane atholakala endleni kanti ngezikhathi ezithile kuba nanowoyela ochithekile.” Lokhu kungenxa yokuthi amaphesenti angaphezu kwangu-50 etshe lentaba laseBrazil agelezela ngokuqondile emifuleni, emachibini nasolwandle engahlanziwe. Umphumela uba ukusweleka njalo kwamanzi ahlanzekile. Imifula ezungeze idolobha laseBrazil elikhulu kunawo wonke, iSão Paulo, ingcole kakhulu kangangokuthi amanzi aphuzwayo asethuthwa esuka endaweni eqhele ngamakhilomitha angaba yikhulu.

Ngakolunye uhlangothi lwembulunga, ukusweleka okukhulu kwamanzi e-Australia kubangelwa inqubo yokwanda kukasawoti enhlabathini. Amashumi eminyaka abanikazi bemihlaba bebekhuthazwa ukuba bacabe izindawo zabo ukuze batshale izilimo. Njengoba kwakunemithi nezihlahlana ezimbalwa ezazimunca amanzi enhlabathini, izinga lamanzi laqala ukwenyuka, okwaletha nezinkulungwane zamathani kasawoti ovela ngaphansi komhlaba. “Amahektare ezwe angaba yizigidi ezingu-2,5 kakade asegcwele usawoti,” kusho i-Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) yase-Australia. “Ingxenye enkulu yale ndawo iyindawo yezolimo enomkhiqizo omkhulu e-Australia.”

Abanye bakholelwa ukuthi ukube izishaya-mthetho zase-Australia zazikhethe inhlalakahle yomphakathi esikhundleni senzuzo, le nkinga  yokwanda kukasawoti enhlabathini ngabe yagwenywa. UHugo Bekle wase-Edith Cowan University ePerth, e-Australia, uthi: “Ohulumeni batshelwa emuva lé ngo-1917 ukuthi inhlabathi yeZifunda Zikakolo yayisengozini enkulu yokuba nosawoti. Ukuthi ukugawulwa kwemithi kwakuyodala ukwanda kukasawoti emifuleni kwamenyezelwa ngawo-1920, futhi uMnyango Wezolimo wavuma ukuthi lokhu kwakuyoholela ekwenyukeni kwezinga lamanzi ngawo-1930. I-CSIRO yenzela uHulumeni [wase-Astralia] ucwaningo olunzulu ngo-1950, . . . kodwa ohulumeni baqhubeka bengazinaki lezi zixwayiso, bethi ososayensi banemibono ebandlululayo.”

Ukuphila Kuyasongelwa

Akungabazeki ukuthi izenzo eziningi zesintu ziye zenziwa ngezisusa ezinhle. Kodwa ngokuvamile, simane nje asazi okwanele ngemvelo ukuba sibikezele imiphumela yezenzo zethu ngokunembile. Imiphumela iye yaba mibi kakhulu. “Siye saphazamisa ubudlelwane bezinto eziphilayo lapha kakhulu kangangokuba sisongela yona kanye inhlabathi esondlayo futhi, ngenxa yalokho, sisongela ukuphila kwethu ngokwako,” kusho uTim Flannery, ongumqondisi weSouth Australian Museum.

Liyini ikhambi? Ingabe isintu siyoke sifunde ukuphila ngokuvumelana nemvelo? Empeleni, ingabe iplanethi ewuMhlaba ingalondolozwa?

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 6]

Iconsi Ngalinye Libalulekile

Izinyathelo ezimbalwa ezilula zingonga amathantala amanzi.

● Lungisa ompompi abavuzayo.

● Ungahlali eshaweni isikhathi eside.

● Vala amanzi ngesikhathi usashefa noma uxubha amazinyo.

● Sebenzisa amathawula kabili noma kathathu ngaphambi kokuba uwawashe.

● Linda kuze kube nezingubo eziningi ngokwanele ngaphambi kokusebenzisa umshini wokuwasha. (Isimiso esifanayo siya-sebenza nasemshinini wokugeza izitsha.)

[Ibhokisi/Isithombe ekhasini 7]

Yonga Ukuze Ungantuli

● Nakuba i-Australia iyizwekazi elome kunawo wonke emhlabeni, amaphesenti angaphezu kwangu-90 amanzi ayo okunisela “adluliselwa ezilimweni ngokuwabhunyela ezivandeni nangokuwahambisa ngemisele,” kubika i-Canberra Times. Lena “indlela eyayisetshenziswa nangofaro lapho besakha imibhoshongo engonxantathu.”

● Emhlabeni wonke, isilinganiso samanzi esisetshenziswa umuntu ngamunye (kuhlanganise namanzi asetshenziswa kwezolimo nasezimbonini) singaba amalitha angu-550 000 ngonyaka. Nokho, ngokwesilinganiso umuntu waseNyakatho Melika usebenzisa amalitha angaba ngu-1 600 000 ngonyaka. Izwe elithile elaliyiriphabhuliki yaseRussia lisebenzisa amanzi amaningi ngaphezu kwawo wonke, isilinganiso esingaphezu kwamalitha ayizigidi ezingu-5,3 umuntu ngamunye ngonyaka.

● Ngokwe-Africa Geographic, “ngokwesilinganiso, umuntu ngamunye waseNingizimu Afrika ngonyaka usebenzisa amahektare angu-4,0 ngokwesilinganiso sembulunga yonke kuyilapho leli zwe linendawo engamahektare angu-2,4 kuphela ngomuntu ngamunye ngonyaka.”

[Isithombe ekhasini 5]

Indawo yaseSahel okugawulwe kuyo amahlathi eBurkina Faso. Le ndawo yayiyisinindolo eminyakeni engu-15 edlule

[Umthombo]

© Jeremy Hartley/Panos Pictures

 [Isithombe ekhasini 8]

Ukungcola okubangelwa yizimoto kuseyisizathu sokukhathazeka e-United States

[Isithombe ekhasini 8]

Ukuhesha ushise indawo ukuze kulinywe kucekela phansi amahlathi emvula eCameroon

[Umthombo]

© Fred Hoogervorst/Panos Pictures

[Isithombe ekhasini 8, 9]

Kwakucekelwa phansi amakhilomitha-skwele angaba ngu-20 000 ehlathi laseBrazil unyaka ngamunye phakathi kuka-1995 no-2000

[Umthombo]

© Ricardo Funari/SocialPhotos.com

[Isithombe ekhasini 9]

Amanzi omthombo angaphansi komhlaba kulo mzana waseNdiya angcoliswe amapulazi endawo afuye izimfanzi

[Umthombo]

© Caroline Penn/Panos Pictures

[Isithombe ekhasini 9]

Abantu abangaphezu kwezigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezimbili baphila ngemali engama-dollar amathathu ngosuku noma ngaphansi

[Umthombo]

© Giacomo Pirozzi/Panos Pictures