Attacking underdevelopment and pollution
JULIA PERKINS and NICK FREDMAN recently returned from a visit to Cuba. Here they describe the island's attempts at economically sustainable development.
"Ecojoven 93", the first youth environment conference in Cuba, took place May 13-15 on the Isle of Youth. It was organised by the Union of Communist Youth (UJC).
There was wide-ranging discussion on pollution, sustainable development in industry and tourism, alternative energy sources and raising the environmental consciousness of young people.
This debate was part of the continuation of discussions held at the last UJC conference in April 1992. The Isle of Youth was considered the most appropriate place to hold such a debate, since more than 70% of the island is protected. There is great biodiversity on the island and consequently intensive environmental protection.
Environmental work within the UJC is being organised by the Youth Technical Brigades. The brigades were initiated in 1964 to mobilise young people to help transform the economy from dependence on US imports. They have now been revived to help tackle the problems created by the intensifying US blockade and by the collapse of trade with Eastern Europe and the former USSR.
The discussion began from the fact that Cuba is an underdeveloped country which needs to find a model of sustainable development, Damodar Pe¤a, head of the Youth Technical Brigades, told Green Left Weekly. "We should not think we solve ecological problems later â there must be ecological consciousness at the beginning of technical development."
The brigades will be working to develop alternate energy sources such as solar, hydraulic and vegetable and animal products.
Pe¤a explained that the revolution had given Cuba two main advantages in the environmental field â a high level of technical education and a planned, participative economy.
An example of the effect of the latter is the decision not to mine the potentially large petroleum reserve at Vanadero Beach, to protect the local ecosystem and perhaps use the area for a less immediately profitable but more sustainable industry such as tourism.
In developing alternate energy, Cuba suffers from a lack of resources, such as solar panels, but Pe¤a described how this can be helped by solidarity organisations such as the European group, "Sun for Cuba".
In developing its technology, Cuba is increasing joint ventures with capitalist governments and firms. Care is being taken to ensure stringent environmental conditions at the beginning of each project. Pe¤a stressed the need for Cuba to replace its old Soviet or pre-1959 (sometimes even 19th century) US technology, which is usually very polluting.
In all production, environmental and health concerns are uppermost. For example, no steroids are used in animal production because the Cuban people themselves would ultimately suffer the effects of consuming such contaminated foodstuffs.
A great deal of research is being done on "green" (herbal) medicine â we visited the National Centre for Animal and Plant Health, which produces organic asthma products and is also developing organic treatments for AIDS based on stimulating and revitalising the immune system.