Cuba-U.S. Collaboration in a New Era of Change

WASHINGTON, May 31, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Cuban Ambassador Jose R. Cabañas Rodríguez Ph.D. will kick off an event on June 4 that considers how the U.S. and Cuba can work together at an uncertain political time, marking one of his first public appearances since Miguel Díaz-Canel succeeded Raúl Castro as president of Cuba last month. The event, co-hosted by the nonprofits Center for International Policy (CIP) and Ocean Doctor, focuses on environmental sustainability and historic preservation, long cited as among the most successful areas of collaboration between Cuba and the U.S. even before the normalization of diplomatic relations in 2014.

A range of panelists will highlight recent successful conservation and historic preservation efforts in Cuba. Also featured will be the release of a comprehensive new report by Ocean Doctor and CIP entitled, A Century of Unsustainable Tourism in the Caribbean: Lessons Learned and Opportunities for Cuba. "The past 50 years have seen unprecedented environmental degradation in the Caribbean, including the loss of 50 percent of its coral cover," says Dr. David E. Guggenheim, founder and president of Ocean Doctor. Landscape modification due to tourism development is a main driver of habitat loss, and historic and cultural resources have also felt the impact. Meanwhile, Cuba has followed a markedly different path and, as a result, still possesses healthy ecosystems and a vibrant, authentic culture. With mounting pressures of tourism, the report examines the unique opportunity Cuba has to create a sustainable future.

The event, open to the public (RSVP required), will be held on Monday, June 4th 1-5pm at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 1779 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036. Details and an RSVP form can be found at: https://oceandoctor.org/june4event. The sustainable tourism report will be available for download at 9am on June 4th from: https://oceandoctor.org/tourismreport

This event and the report are part of the Cuba-U.S. Sustainability Partnership (CUSP), a project of the Center for International Policy, Ocean Doctor and Robert Muse & Associates, in consultation with Cuban governmental and nongovernmental agencies, to support Cuba's efforts to chart a sustainable course in the face of political changes and economic pressures.