Alejandro de Humboldt National Park, a World Heritage Site since 2001.
A jewel in eastern Cuba. Photo: trabajadores.cu

By María Josefina Arce 

A new environmental law came into force in Cuba on March 11, reinforcing the country's efforts to protect the environment and advance sustainable development in the midst of the climate crisis the planet is going through.

Approved in May 2022, the Law of the Natural Resources and Environment System is in line with the 2019 Constitution, which establishes that every citizen has the right to enjoy a healthy and balanced environment.

It also takes into account international treaties and commitments undertaken by the country. It is nourished by the fundamental principles of environmental law embodied in the declarations of several summits on the subject.

The new legislation enriches the nation's regulatory framework in this area, which, according to experts, is articulated with the existing demands and problems.

The norm emphasizes regulating the actions of the State, citizens and society in general, to conserve these resources and guarantee their sustainability for future generations.

It is undoubtedly a new step by Cuba in its commitment to care for the environment and which has been embodied in the State Plan to confront climate change, known as Tarea Vida and which has undergone adjustments, since its adoption in 2017, to provide more specific attention to social aspects.

The modifications also seek to involve the population and the scientific community, which has already made valuable contributions and participates in various initiatives, even more in the solution of environmental problems.

This is the case of the "My coast" project, which seeks to increase the resilience to climate change of more than 1,000 kilometers of the southern coast. Rescuing mangroves, forests and marsh grasslands is the objective of this program.

This is one of the many actions carried out in favor of the environment in Cuba, where some 21 coastal communities are in danger of disappearing and 98 others are in danger of suffering serious climate-related damages.

The approval first, and the entry into force now, of the Law of the System of Natural Resources and the Environment is one more step taken by the Cuban government to protect the environment and a sign of its commitment to bequeath a habitable planet to future generations.