Ezinye izilimi kule ndawo zingaguqulwa ngemishini futhi zingafaka amaphutha. Usizo lokuthuthukisa Funda isiNgisi esisemthethweni
Isingqimba se-haze esisakazeka phezu kweplanethi, ebonakala kusuka kwi-International Space Station.
Blue Initiative

Uhlobo lwezulu

Sisebenzisana nesimo sezulu esisodwa. Okuphezulu kusuka e-chiminea ezweni elinye kubuyela eziphusheni nasezilwandle kwezinye.

NASA

Siphefumula ngamanzi angaphezu kuka-litre ayizigidi eziyisithupha ngosuku. Ngakho-ke, singakhetha ukuthi yisiphi isihlabathi esifanele, futhi singayisusa ngamehlo ethu: ubuthi obungozi kakhulu abubonakali. I-atmosphere nayo iyilungu le-ocean. Eningi lalokho esiwubeka emoya kuphele emfuleni, kuguqula ikhemikhali yayo ngendlela elinganiselwe isikhathi eside ngaphambi kokuba ziqondwe.

Yini ekhona emkhathini

  • Izinto ezincane (PM2.5) zincane kunama-micrometers ayi-2.5, ezivela ekuqhumeni kwegesi, imithi, izitshalo nezidakamizwa, kanye nothuli namazinga ekhemikhali egazini. Zincane ngokwanele ukuba zidlule eduze kwezinso kanye nohlelo lokudla.
  • Izinto ezincane ezincane (PM10) zivela emhlabathini, ekwakhani kanye nokugqoka kwendlela. Bahlala emlonyeni nasezintweni zomoya.
  • I-nitrogen dioxide ivela kakhulu ezimotoni nezindawo zokukhiqiza amandla, futhi isiza ukwakha ozone kanye nezingxenye.
  • I-ozone ephansi ikhiqizwa lapho ukukhanya kwelanga kupheka ezinye izinto ezibulala izifo. Ibangela ukuvuvukala kwezinso futhi ibulala izitshalo.
  • Sulphur dioxide ivela ekuqhumeni kwekhoyili kanye ne-oyile enamandla, kufaka phakathi izikebhe.
  • Household smoke kusuka ekuphekeni nokufudumeza ngemithi, ikhoyili, udoti noma i-kerosene kuyinye yezinkinga ezinkulu kakhulu, ezithathwa ngabesifazane nabantwana.
I-stove ejwayelekile ye-clay ne-brick etholakala eduze kwedonga lendlu, enemithi yokugcoba, ama-cakes athosiwe kanye nezithelo ze-coconut ezifakwe emgodini.
I-chulla, isiqandisi esijwayelekile esifundazweni saseTamil Nadu, eIndia, siqhutshwa ngamatshe, imithi elahlekile, udoti othosiwe kanye nezithelo ze-coconut shells. Umhluzi ovela emigodini efana nale yiyona ebangela ukukhishwa okukhulu kwegesi ehlabathini. Photo: McKay Savage, CC BY 2.0

Ukunakekelwa kwempilo

Inhlangano Yezempilo Yezwe ilinganisela ukuthi imiphumela ehlanganisayo yokulimala kwe-air kanye nokulimala kwendlu 6.7 million premature deaths every year, izifo zenhliziyo, isifo sofuba, ukugula okuqhubekayo kwezinso kanye nezifo ezibangelwa yigciwane. Ku 2019, 99 percent yabantu basehlabathi bahlala endaweni lapho izinga lokuphepha komoya le-WHO alihlangabezani khona. Ngo-2021 iWHO yanciphisa umgomo wayo wonyaka we-PM2.5, kusuka ku-10 kuya ku- 5 micrograms per cubic meter, ngoba isivivinyo sibonise ukulahlekelwa ezingeni eliphansi kunalokho okucabangayo.

6.7 millionpremature deaths a year from outdoor and household air pollution combined (I-WHO)
99%of people lived where WHO guideline levels were not met (I-WHO, 2019 data)
i-5 µg/m³I-WHO yeminyaka yonke iqondisa nge-PM2.5 kusukela ngo-2021 (I-WHO)
Isiphepho semvula ngaphesheya kweSahara embuzweni weAlgeria neNiger.
Uthuli lwesihlabathi ludlula emilazweni yonke: uthuli lweSahara lusiza i-Atlantic ne-Amazon, futhi luthinta kahle izinga lomoya. Credit: NASA

Umoya ushintsha i-ocean

I-ocean ithathe cishe inkulungwane ye-carbon dioxide ekhishwa yimpilo yomuntu. Lokhu kusheshise ushintsho lwesimo sezulu, ngentengo: i-CO2 ephukile yenza ama-carbonic acid, futhi indawo ye-ocean ikhule 30% acidic kusukela uguquko lwezimboni, ukuwa mayelana 0.1 pH amayunithi. Ubisi olunoshukela oluningi lungenza kube nzima kakhulu amakhorali, izingulube, ama-mussels kanye nezinye izinhlanzi eziphila emkhathini ukwakha izingqimba zabo nezitho zazo, futhi lufinyelela esikhunjeni se-ocean food web.

Abanye ababulala umoya baphuma emfuleni. I-nitrogen evela emithonjeni yegesi kanye nemithi yokutshala ifakazela ubunzima bezinto eziphilayo ezidla izifunda ezifile. I-mercury evela ekuqhumeni kwekhoyili kanye nokuqoshwa kwegolide okuncane kuhlanganiswa elwandle, lapho amagciwane aguqula khona ibe yi-methylmercury, okwakha inyamazane enkulu njenge-tuna ne-swordfish, nalabo abadla ngayo (UNEP Global Mercury Assessment 2018).

I-ocean ihlanza umoya wethu ngokucophelela eminyakeni eyizinkulungwane ezimbili. Izimali zifika nge-chemistry yayo.

Izixazululo eziqinisekisiwe

Umoya ongcolile yinkinga eminingi abantu abaxazulule yona, ezingeni elilodwa noma elilodwa. Uma kunezinqubomgomo ezicacile, imali yamphakathi kanye nezobuchwepheshe obuhlanzekile zihlanganisana, umoya ungcono eminyakeni embalwa, futhi uqhubeka nokukhula uma isinqumo siqhubeka. Lezi yimiphumela elinganiselwe, hhayi izibopho.

The United States. Kuphakathi kuka 1970 no 2024, ukukhishwa kwezinto ezibulala izifo eziyisithupha ezilawulayo ngaphansi koMthetho Wezulu Elihlanzekile kwahla ngo 79 percent, kanti uqoqosho lwakhula ngo 338 ngephesenti (US EPA). Umoya ohlanzekile nokukhula kwezomnotho kwabonakala sengathi kuhambisana.

Imvula eyisidakamizwa, iphoqelwe futhi yathengwa. Ushintsho lwe-1990 kuMthethosivivinywa Wezulu Elihlanzekile lwabeka iphoqo lezwe kwi-sulphur dioxide evela ezingeni lokusebenza futhi lavumela amankampani ukuba athenge izinqumo zokuthengiswa ngaphansi kwayo, iphrojekthi yokuqala yezwe yokuphoqelela nokuthengiswa. Izinhlelo ze-power stations ezikhona kule phrojekthi zikhuphula i-sulphur dioxide i-96% phakathi kuka-1990 no-2023. Ukufakwa kwe-sulphate emanzi, okuvame ukubhekwa njengemvula ye-acid, kwancipha ngongaphezu kuka-70% phakathi kokuqala kweminyaka yama-1990 nokuqala kweminyaka yama-2020, futhi inani lezintaba ezilawulwayo neziqukathi ezithola i-acid engaphezulu kunalokho ezingawuthatha lancipha ngamaphesenti angama-81 (US EPA; US EPA).

I-ridge ye-spruce eluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka ne-fir enezihlahla eziningi ezifile, ezimnyama eziqinile phakathi kwazo, kuphezulu komfula omnyama.
I-spruce ne-fir ezilahlekile esigabeni esiphezulu seMount Mitchell, North Carolina, ngo-2006. Imithi eminingi ye-antibiotics isetshenziswa ukuvimbela izifo ezibangelwa amagciwane, njenge-herpes ne-mumps. Photo: SquareWave, CC BY-SA 3.0

I-Europe’s sulphur cuts. Kuphakathi kuka-2005 no-2023, ukukhishwa kwe-sulphur oxides e-European Union kuhla ngo-84 percent, ama-nitrogen oxides ngo-53 percent nama-fine particles ngo-38 percent. I-ammonia, evela kakhulu ekudleni, ihla ngo-17% kuphela, okubonisa ukuthi kudingeka ukwenziwa okulandelayo (European Environment Agency).

Amasatellite manje abonisa ushintsho oluvela ku-orbit. Ucwaningo oluholwa yiNorway’s NILU research institute luqhathaniswa nokuhlolwa kwesatellite kwe-nitrogen dioxide kusukela ngo-2019 kuya ku-2024 nokuthuthukiswa komhlaba wonke kwezifundazwe ezingu-2,475 lapho ukukhishwa kwamanzi kuguqulwe khona ngokucacile, futhi lwathola ukuthi cishe iphesenti le-80 lazo likhule likhula lize libe lihle ngenkathi umoya wabo ushintshile; izifundazwe ezingama-390 zakhula zihle nge-nitrogen dioxide engaphezulu (ESA, 2026; Hassani et al., 2026).

Amabloko eTower amnyamala emthunzini omhlophe oqinile phezu kweBeijing, abonakala kusuka kuthebhu yehotela.
I-Beijing ngezansi kwengcindezi yothuli ngoOkthoba 2006, iminyaka eyisithupha ngaphambi kokuba idolobha liqale uhlelo lokuhlanza umoya. Photo: David Barrie, CC BY 2.0

Beijing, China. In 2013 Beijing’s yearly average of fine particles (PM2.5) was 89.5 micrograms per cubic metre, nearly eighteen times what the WHO now recommends. Under a five-year clean-air action plan, from 2013 to 2017 the city removed coal boilers with a combined capacity of 39,000 steam tonnes, took 2.17 million old vehicles off its roads and closed 1,992 polluting factories, while the surrounding provinces cut coal as well. PM2.5 wahla 58 ngu 2017 futhi wahla 27.0 in 2025, 70 percent lower than in 2013. Izinsuku zokungcola okunzima zisuka ku-58 ngo-2013 zibe yi-2 ngo-2024. Umsebenzi awupheli: 27 ungaphezu kwamaphesenti ayisithupha ku-WHO (Beijing Ecology and Environment Bureau; China Daily, 2025).

Indawo Yokukhishwa Kwezimoto Eziphansi Kakhulu eLondon. Kusuka ngo-2019, abashayeli bezimoto ezibulala kakhulu bakhokha imali yosuku lonke ukushayela eLondon. Isifunda saqala ezindaweni eziphakathi ngo-2019 futhi sikhule safinyelela eLondon yangaphakathi ngo-2021 kanye nedolobha lonke ngo-2023. UMasipala weLondon ulinganisela ukuthi ngo-2024 i-nitrogen dioxide ehamba phambili 54% ephansi ephakathi London kanye nephesenti le-27 eliphansi ezweni lonke kunalokho okuzobe kukhona ngaphandle kwesifunda. Lezi yizinqumo ezimodelwe, eziqhathaniswa nezibalo zomuntu siqu nesimo esicalwa “akukho sifunda” (Isikhulu seLondon, i-ULEZ yenyanga eyodwa).

Izimpawu eziluhlaza ze-Ultra Low Emission Zone kanye ne-Congestion Charge sign esitezi esiphakathi kweLondon, ngebhasi elimnyama elinabantu ababi ngasemva.
Izibonakaliso ze-Congestion Charge ne-Ultra Low Emission Zone e-Euston Road eLondon, ngoAprili 2019, unyaka lapho isifunda saqala khona. Photo: citytransportinfo, CC0

Izindiza ezihlanzekile. Ngo-2020, i-International Maritime Organization yanciphisa umkhawulo we-sulphur enjinini yezindiza kusuka ku-3.5 kuye ku-0.5% emhlabeni wonke (IMO).

Isithombe se-satellite esibonisa imigqa emide, ekhanyayo edlula ngaphesheya kwe-Pacific enyakatho yezwe laseMelika.
Izinqanawa zihamba phambili enyakatho ye-United States, ngoNovemba 1, 2013: ama-lanes akhanyayo wemvula akhiwa emithanjeni ephuma emanzini enqanawa, aveza imizila yenqanawa edlula emkhathini. Credit: NASA/Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team

Isifundo kusuka kuzo zonke lezi zinto sifana. Ukuhlola umoya emazweni angaphandle, ukumisela amaphesenti emthethweni, ukunikeza abantu kanye nezinkampani ithuba elihlanzekile, futhi uqhubeke njalo iminyaka. Ukupheka okuhlanzekile, ukuthutha nge-electric, kanye nomoya ne-sun power zihamba phambili: zisusa isizinda endaweni yokuhlanza ngemuva kwayo.

Izinhlangano ezisebenza kulolu msebenzi

Lezi zinkampani ezingatholakali zikhona izibalo zomphakathi zemiphumela. Thola ukuthi yini abayenzayo, futhi uma umsebenzi wabo ukhuluma nawe, cabanga ukunikela kubo ngokuqondile ngewebhusayithi yabo. I Local Solar System Foundation ayisebenzisi noma iyiphi yazo futhi ayitholanga lutho kuzo. Phambi kokuba ukhokhe, funda ingxelo yonyaka nezimali zenhlangano ngayinye, njengoba ungenza nanoma iyiphi inhlangano enikelayo.

  • ClientEarth iyinhlangano yosizo lwemithetho yemvelo (ebhaliswe e-England nase-Wales, inani losizo 1053988). Isebenzisa izinkantolo ukwenza amaqembu alawulayo agcine umthetho wabo womoya ohlanzekile: ngo-2015, esinqumweni esithunyelwe yinhlangano, iNkantolo Ephakeme yase-UK yacela ukuthi iqembu libhale imikhankaso entsha yokuhlangabezana nemikhawulo yomthetho ye-nitrogen dioxide (INkantolo Ephakeme yase-UK, 2015).
  • OpenAQ yinhlangano engathola inzuzo eqoqa ukulinganiselwa kwekhwalithi yomoya emhlabeni wonke, kusuka kumamonitori wezwe kusukela ngo-2015 nakwezenzo ezibizayo kusukela ngo-2021, futhi izenza zibe mahhala futhi zivulekile ukuthi umuntu ngamunye azisebenzise. Amalungu emindeni, abashicileli nabahlalu besebenzisa le divayisi ukubheka umoya ophefumulayo, ikakhulukazi emazweni anezibonisi ezincane.
  • Imali Yomoya Ohlanzekile i-United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) iyinhlangano yobuciko ebhaliswe e-UK (inombolo 1183697) ehlinzeka ngemali futhi ixhume abacwaningi, abacwaningi kanye namaqembu asebenza ekuhlaselweni kwengcindezi yezulu, nezinhlelo e-India, Indonesia, Ghana, South Africa, United Kingdom ne-European Union. Iwebhusayithi yayo ikhombisa abaxhasi bayo kanye nezingcezu nezinhloso ezixhaswa yinhlangano.
Isikhumulo sezindiza esibhekene ne-air monitoring esinazo izisetshenziswa kanye nesibonakaliso esifundela i-EPA Air Monitoring Station endaweni enezihlahla.
Isikhumulo sezindiza esilawulwa yi-EPA Victoria eMorwell, e-Australia. Ama-monitors avulekile njengale, kanye nezibonisi ezibizayo, zinikeza idatha evulekile ongayibheka umuntu ngamunye. Photo: Environment Protection Authority Victoria, CC BY 4.0

Ungasiza kanjani

  • Khangela umoya lapho uhlala khona. Imiphakathi eminingi ishicilela izinga lomoya ngesikhathi sangempela; amasenzo abiza kakhulu avumela izifundazwe ukuthi zibeke emaphusheni imizila yabo. Yabelana ngalokho okutholayo.
  • Umlilo omncane. Ungadli izitshalo ezilahlekile, amapulasitiki noma imifino ethosiwe; uma ufaka ukushisa ngemifino, sebenzisa imifino ethosiwe neyomile kwi-stove yamanje.
  • Hamba, sebenzisa isikhashana, hlanganisa noma usebenzise amandla ukugibela okuncane, futhi uvale izinjini ezisebenza kahle kakhulu, ikakhulukazi ezinhlakeni.
  • Umbuzo wokuthi kuphi amasonto ahlanzekile. Usizo lwezindawo ezincane zokuhamba, izitezi zesikole kanye nezifunda ezingenamanzi ezindaweni zakho; ubhale abameli basekhaya mayelana nokuqapha okungenani emakilasini nasezitolo.
  • Chofoza ugesi ohlanzekile lapho umhlinzeki wakho evumela khona, futhi uxhase amaphrojekthi wokupheka ahlanzekile kumindeni ehlala ipheka phezu komngcwabo.
  • Sisiza ukuchaza lokhu. Gcina lesi khasi noma udale imaphu yezulu yasendaweni nge ibhodi lokungenisa isandla.

Izinsizakusebenza