Environmental Degradation and Dredging in the Havana Bay (1820-1850)

The revitalization of the Cuban economy since the last decades of the 18th century marked an important milestone in the economic, social, and environmental evolution of the Havana Bay. Important facets of an integrated urban history, such as waste management, population growth, and their role in the environmental degradation of the bay have been the subject of little research. This chapter analyses the progressive environmental degradation of the Havana bay and the implementation of conservation projects during the first half of the 19th century. Reconstructing the environmental history of Havana enables us to reevaluate the political history. In this case, we observe how the socio-environmental transformations influenced the construction of the colonial state. The search for solutions to the environmental problems; developed important connections among political, economic, and scientific institutions. Accordingly, this article examines how these connections among colonial institutions contributed to create new forms of state administration.