Cuba’s response to its peak oil emergency 7

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1. 

   David Roberts Posted 8:48 am
   08 Mar 2007

   McKibbenBill McKibben wrote a fantastic article on this subject in Harpers. I discussed it here.
   
   www.grist.org

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2. 

   Jason D Scorse Posted 9:57 am
   08 Mar 2007

   Survived Peak Oil?How about survived being cut off from aid from the Soviets.
   It is pretty amazing what many Cuban farmers have done given a lack of fossil fuels, but overall, I wouldn't want to use Cuba as an example of environmental success given that it comes along with some pretty nasty stuff and extremely low standards of living as well. And please, don't tell me how Cuba is really a miracle of equality and ecotopia if only I'd not look through my corporate economist lens!!!
   
   J.S. teaches environmental economics and blogs at http://www.voicesofreason.info.

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3. 

   Bart Anderson Posted 11:04 am
   08 Mar 2007

   Apples and applesLet's try to be analytical, rather than ideological. When thinking about Cuba as a model, be sure and compare it with like countries.
   For example, compare Cuba with other Latin American countries at similar levels of development (not with the First World). Cuba vs Haiti, Cuba vs El Salvador, Cuba vs Guatemala, Cuba vs Peru. In all these cases, I think the lot of the average person is better in Cuba, and the politics is often better (e.g. no death squads in Cuba).  
   Similarly, compare Cuba with North Korea. Both ostensibly Communist, both faced the end of cheap fuel. Cuba dealt with the problem immeasurably better.
   There is a lot to be learned from Cuba. One thing (which is sure to warm Jason's heart!) is they broke some of the large State farms into smaller privately-run farms, and they relaxed restrictions on the selling of food.  The magic of markets!
   On the other hand, no question, the State took a strong role.
   When other nations get to a similar point as Cuba, I'm sure their governments will also take a strong role, and the measures will be a combination of markets, localism and centralised command. For the U.S., I think the New Deal is probably a good model to start with.
   (BTW, Jason, thanks for responding with your arguments on the Peak Oil thread)
   
   Bart
   
   
   Energy Bulletin

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4. 

   Erik Hoffner Posted 11:56 pm
   08 Mar 2007

   Who said ecotopia?I don't hold Cuba up as the model we all need to follow. This film is merely demonstrating how a very small country reacted when faced with drastic cuts in oil. It's instructive, period.
   
   The Orion Grassroots Network is a meeting place for 1000+ great grassroots organizations working for conservation and more: http://www.orionsociety.org/ogn
   
   

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5. 

   Sam Wells Posted 1:58 am
   09 Mar 2007

   Cuba? Oil?I think it is interesting on two fronts, since while Cuba might have instituted some measures for alternative power (1) Venezuela has been sending shiploads of refined diesel and gasoline, and (2) some very large oil fields have been found in Cuba's territorial waters.  Thus it appears to me that Cuba might just become a player on the international energy market, right when we thought of it as being locked in perpetual 1960 lifestyles, a sort of quaint, commie grass-roots place.  
   Enough editorializing, but I must say many surrounding countries in the Carribe are very nervous about Cuba entering the energy markets and secondly, opening up its country for tourism.  The Bahamian government is especially nervous, since tourism is it only major industry, yet with prices at over $3,000 a week, you could stay for months in Cuba.  Some oil exploration has been done in the Bahamas but nothing near the finds off Cuba.
   It's funny, you have to talk to people in other countries to find out what is happening with Cuba.  I suppose our rose-tinted American glasses just get in the way.
   
   /sammie
   
   Onward through the fog

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6. 

   Julia Olmstead Posted 2:20 am
   09 Mar 2007

   good movie, not perfect (kinda like Cuba itself!)We showed this movie last year at our public library. While it is interesting to look at Cuba as a model for how societies could re-adjust to deal with limited energy supplies, the film is a bit naive/pollyanna-ish in its presentation of Cuba's success coming out of the Special Period (post-Soviet collapse). But it's definitely worth seeing.
   But ah, the Cuba debate. I worked in Cuba for about a year, and I agree with Bart about comparing apples to apples. Like any place, Cuba has good and bad, but in my experience, most Cubans are proud of and supportive of their government and what their "revolution" has achieved for the people. As it's their country, that's what's most important, no?

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7. 

   Delay And Deny Posted 3:16 am
   09 Mar 2007

   Average Temperature in Cuba?Wow -- it's so great they don't need all the energy in Cuba.
   Oh, wait a minute -- they don't need heat!  It's hot in Cuba!
   Yeah, lets see the year round average temperature in Cuba is what?  80?
   http://www.cubaweather.org/cuba-temperatures.php
   So, yes, they are an excellent role model for, oh, northern Connecticut during winter.
   
   The Texeme Construct offers international text memetics construction and textcasting services.

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