In 1992, Fidel Castro spoke about a radical new idea. During the Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit, Cuba’s president lamented the destruction of nature at the hand of humankind. Less than a decade after scientists had reached a consensus on climate change, Castro was already urging the world to start an environmental revolution. [...]
Since his death last week at the age of 90, Cuba’s late-patriarch has been called many things: revolutionary, dictator, savior, and tyrant. And there is evidence for each. But he also seems to have a lesser-known legacy as an environmentalist. [...]
And while Cuba’s wildness can reasonably be attributed to its economic isolation, Castro’s strong influence on the country’s environmental legislation has arguably helped to preserve its splendor.
In the eyes of Castro, environmental destruction was one of the evils of capitalism. He blamed consumer societies for the desecration of nature that disproportionately harmed the poor and disenfranchised. During a speech on climate change in 2002, Castro regarded Cuba as an example of how humanity’s needs can be met “without destroying nature and basic human values.” (It’s important to note here that many Cubans would not agree that their needs are met given the country’s food insecurity and other limited resources.)
After Castro’s Rio de Janeiro speech, Cuba’s government amended its constitution to include sweeping environmental provisions that would safeguard land, air, and water resources. In 1994, the Ministry of Science, Technology and the Environment—the country’s first cabinet-level institution given jurisdiction over environmental issues—was established. Three years later, Cuba’s Law 81 of the Environment was decreed to provide a framework for sustainable socioeconomic development.
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