Amidst a significant portion of Cuba's working-age population being unemployed or not actively seeking employment, and the nation enduring one of the steepest economic declines in Latin America, the Ministry of Labor and Social Security (MTSS) has unveiled an innovative national strategy for transitioning to "green jobs."
The pilot study was conducted at the Melanio Hernández Agroindustrial Sugar Company (EAA) in the municipality of Taguasco, located in Sancti Spíritus province. Here, 15 job positions were scrutinized to identify, classify, and certify which could be deemed "green" based on labor and environmental criteria.
Onixa Mazorra Fuentes, head of Science and Innovation at the MTSS, expressed that this initiative "laid the groundwork for implementing green jobs in key sectors of the Cuban economy."
This methodology, crafted in collaboration with the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Environment (Citma) and the Sugar Business Group (Azcuba), focuses on two main pillars: labor aspects—which include job formality, fair remuneration, security, and social dialogue—and environmental considerations, concentrating on waste management, energy efficiency, and circular economy practices.
The initiative is part of an international project titled "Strengthening Policies and Capacities for Green Jobs for Youth," which is supported by the Youth Green Jobs Pact, the International Labor Organization (ILO), and the United Nations Children's Fund, alongside several Cuban ministries.
Mazorra Fuentes noted that the young participants "were actively involved: they were divided into groups to co-design transition pathways and assess barriers to their integration into the workforce."
The insights gained from the pilot in Sancti Spíritus are set to be implemented in three additional sugar companies: Carlos Baliño in Villa Clara, Ciro Redondo in Ciego de Ávila, and Antonio Guiteras in Las Tunas.
However, this announcement starkly contrasts with the current state of the Cuban labor market. Cuba ranks last in the regional economic standings, with a projected GDP decline of 6.5% by 2026 and an accumulated contraction of 26% since 2020.
The average state salary hovers around 6,930 pesos a month, equivalent to roughly 15 dollars, an amount insufficient to meet the basic needs of any family.
In March of this year, the MTSS was primarily focused on reallocating workers due to fuel shortages, rather than on ecological transition programs.
Within this context, the introduction of a "green jobs" methodology—a concept typically associated with economies undergoing energy transitions and possessing functional labor markets—seems more like an institutional image-building exercise disconnected from the pressing realities faced by Cubans.
The ILO defines green jobs as decent employment that contributes to preserving or restoring the environment, based on environmental sustainability and dignified working conditions: fair wages, security, social protection, and development opportunities. These are precisely the attributes that are lacking in Cuba's outlook for 2026.
Understanding Cuba's Green Job Transition
What is the goal of Cuba's green jobs initiative?
The initiative aims to transition job sectors in Cuba towards environmentally sustainable practices, focusing on creating employment opportunities that contribute to preserving or restoring the environment.
How does the green jobs methodology define 'green jobs'?
'Green jobs' are defined as decent work that supports environmental conservation or restoration, with an emphasis on sustainability and dignified labor conditions, including fair pay and social protections.
What challenges does Cuba face in implementing green jobs?
Cuba faces the challenge of a declining economy and a non-functional labor market, which complicates the implementation of green job initiatives that are typical of transitioning economies.