Abantu Bazawutshabalalisa Yini Umhlaba?

Umlobi weBhayibhili wasendulo, uSolomoni, wakubona ukuthi isikhathi esiphilwa ngabantu sincane kakhulu, ngeke siqathaniswe lomhlaba omi lanini. Okweminyaka leminyaka izizukulwana zabantu bezifika njalo zisedlula. Kodwa kuyamangalisa ukuthi indlela umhlaba odalwe ngayo yenza ukuthi izinto ezikuwo ziqhubeke ziphila.

Abanye bathi kusukela kwadlula iMpi Yomhlaba Wonke Yesibili, umhlaba ulokhu untshintsha ngendlela engakaze ibonakale. Okweminyaka engaba ngu-70 nje kube lempucuko emangalisayo, ngokwesibonelo sekulezindizamtshina, izikepe, izitimela, izimota, omakhalekhukhwini, amakhompiyutha lezinye izinto zesimanjemanje. Lokhu sekwenze ukuthi kube lengqubelaphambili emangalisayo kwezomnotho. Inengi labantu likhomba ngophakathi. Kanti njalo abantu balokhu besanda kakhulu emhlabeni.

Kodwa kayisikho ukuthi lokhu kwenze zonke izinto zahamba kuhle. Kuthiwa nxa abantu beletha impucuko bayabe bephambanisa izinto zemvelo ezenza ukuthi baqhubeke bephila. Abanye abezesayensi bathi sesifike esikhathini lapho abantu abaqhubeka bedala umonakalo omkhulu kakhulu endaweni esihlala kuyo.

IBhayibhili lakukhuluma kudala ukuthi kwakuzafika isikhathi lapho okwakuzaba labantu “abachitha umhlaba.” (ISambulo 11:18) Abanye bayazibuza ukuthi sesafika yini. Umhlaba uzaqhubeka usonakala yini? Kambe abantu bazawutshabalalisa usale ungasalungiseki?

Umonakalo owenziwa ngabantu uzatshiya umhlaba ungasalungiseki yini? Abanye abezesayensi bathi kunzima ukuthi batsho ukuthi kuzaphetha ngani. Yikho kubakhathaza ukuthi emkhathini kungenzakala untshintsho oluzasijuma singalindelanga, lubangele ingozi enkulu.

Ngokwesibonelo ake sikhulume ngongqwaqwane oseWest Antarctic. Nxa imisebe yelanga ingahlaba phezu kongqwaqwane lo, kaphonguncibilika nje. Kodwa abanye bathi nxa kungaqhubeka kutshisa kakhulu emkhathini lasolwandle, ungqwaqwane lo ungancibilika uze uphele. Nxa uncibilika kancane kancane, amanzi olwandle angaphansi kongqwaqwane lo acina esehlatshwa yimisebe yelanga. Nxa amanzi la elokhu etshiswa lilanga, ungqwaqwane ungaqhubeka uncibilika kakhulu. Kungabe kulokhu kusenzakala njalo, amanzi ancibilikayo angabangela ukuthi ulwandle lube lamanzi amanengi kakhulu. Lokhu kungenza ukuthi kube lengozi engehlela izigidi zabantu.