Cuban Natural Resources Law will Get into Force in 2024

Havana, Sept 14 (ACN) The Cuban Ministry of Science, Technology and the Environment (CITMA) presented the Law of the Natural Resources System and the Environment on Wednesday in Havana before its implementation in 2024.

The legislation is now in a preparatory stage before going into force, meaning an exchange with territorial authorities about the reach of the law. The exchanges wound up in the western Cuban regions and will now take place in other areas, said Elba Rosa Perez, Minister for Science, Technology and the Environment during a press conference.

The new legislation strengthens the role of CITMA in implementing and controlling aspects related to the law. Any case involving irregularities in the field of environmental policies, can face the court, though before reaching that far, authorities would first make use of all administrative resources, said the Minister.

The law expands the meaning of environmental change and entitles state administration entities to control the quality of all issues related to the environment.

The financing of the implementation of this law comes from the state budget, the entrepreneurial sector, national funds and international projects as well as foreign investment.

The minister alerted that prevailing economic restrictions related to the US economic, commercial and financial blockade hinder access to foreign capital through bank operations, so it is crucial—she said—to cushion their impact.

The Law of Natural Resources and the Environment was adopted by the Cuban National Assembly of People’s Power (Cuban Parliament) in May 2022.