The Cuban State's commitment to sustainable development and to ensure the protection of nature, was ratified today, in Ciego de Ávila, by the Minister of Science, Technology and Environment, Elba Rosa Pérez Montoya, during the national act for World Environment Day.
The head of the sector expressed the will to promote and promote the solution to environmental problems, and strengthen work at the local and territorial level.
The main challenge, he said, is to convert environmental demands into elements that enhance the country's progress, where the use of science and innovation constitute an essential tool to solve problems in the environment and the lack of clean technologies.
He emphasized that only in this way will prosperous and sustainable socialism materialize, therefore, it is essential to develop electric mobility, jobs, green banking and alliances with non-state forms of management, the latter with a proven ability to make and make contributions to the preservation of nature.
Pérez Montoya recalled that the world is facing the consequences of a triple environmental crisis (climate change, loss of biodiversity and environmental pollution), to which are added the pressures of human action on nature, aggravated by the pandemic of COVID-19 and the economic recession.
At the national level, a scenario defined by the resurgence of political, economic and financial aggression by the United States Government is being faced, with more than 240 measures maintained by the current president.
Rafael Pérez Carmenate and María del Carmen Olivera Isern, territorial delegate of CITMA and sub-delegate for the Environment in Ciego de Ávila, respectively, received the recognition that accredits the province as the venue for the central activities for the date.
The provinces of Villa Clara, Cienfuegos, Camagüey and Granma were also honored for their outstanding status.
During the ceremony, the Territorial Environmental Recognition was granted to the Coastal Ecosystem and Bio-food Research Centers, the Large Wetland Park Local Development Project and the Jardines de la Reina National Park Protected Area, belonging to the South Conservation Base Business Unit.
On this occasion, the provincial prizes for the Environment were also awarded to the “Rincón Los Hondones” School Farm with a Landscape Approach, located in the Bamburanao mountain range; and Domingo García Aguilar, specialist of the Provincial Delegation of Hydraulic Resources.
Speaking at the event, Pérez Carmenate highlighted the protection and rational use of the surrounding resources, appreciable in the conservation of ecosystems and natural heritage for the benefit of society among the main achievements of Ciego de Ávila.
He referred to the improvement of hygiene in communities, and the reconversion of infrastructures and technologies in the industrial sector to develop production systems that are friendly to the environment.
Progress has been made in reforestation, conservation and soil improvement programs, the use of renewable energy sources and the comprehensive restoration of sandy beaches, as well as in the relocation of homes near the coastline to protect families from the consequences of climate change and extreme hydro-meteorological phenomena.
In Ciego de Ávila, he pointed out, sustainable production and consumption practices are introduced, and studies are carried out on dangers, vulnerabilities and risks associated with floods due to intense rains and phyto-sanitary disasters, the results of which increase the response capacity to environmental problems.
The work in protected areas and the protection of endangered species such as the Cuban crane and the jutía conguina are recognized, the last one, native to the Jardines de la Reina Natural Park, one of the 21 sites in the world with the Blue Park Award, recently awarded by the United States Marine Conservation Institute.
The day became an opportunity to evoke the thought of the historical leader of the Revolution, Fidel Castro, particularly the speech delivered at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, 50 years ago, when he urged the rational and responsible use of natural resources for the preservation of life on the planet.
Officially instituted by the United Nations (UN) in December 1977, the celebrations for World Environment Day are dedicated to the half century of the 1972 Stockholm Conference, where the slogan "One Earth" was promulgated. , which prevails due to its relevance.
The commemoration was attended by Liván Izquierdo Alonso, first secretary of the Provincial Committee of the Party in Ciego de Ávila; Tomás Alexis Martín Venegas, governor in the territory itself; Oscar Treto Cárdenas, official of the Central Committee of the Party; and María Nereida Peña Cedeño, official of the National Union of Education, Science and Sports Workers.
