Dr. Yasmine Fouad wins the Nobel Sustainability Medal. The news of the 2025 Nobel Sustainability Medal selection took over the environmental community. The medal celebrates Dr. Fouad’s achievements as a model in the environmental community. A tribute to a leadership style that places dignity, people, and humanity at the center of sustainability.
Dr. Fouad’s Environmental Role
For over 26 years, Dr. Fouad has shaped environmental policy, climate diplomacy, and sustainable development on a global level through a profound lens. As Egypt’s former Minister of Environment, she blended science with human empathy, starting with her early research on ecological resilience.
Now, Dr. Fouad is starting her new position as the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD); her work consistently brings communities, science, and policymakers to the same table.
Her Personal Story
Behind these roles lies a personal story. Dr. Fouad’s driving force for her commitment to sustainability is motherhood. She recalls a defining moment at the 2018 Biodiversity COP, when one of her sons walked into the plenary hall, placed his hands on the gavel, and got applause from delegates.
“In that moment, I understood that while we negotiate for agreements, our children negotiate for their future,” she shared.
Her Leadership
Her leadership has also transformed environmental governance in Egypt, as she led with a human-centered philosophy. Under her tenure as minister, the country launched a modern waste management system, issued the region’s first sovereign green bond. During COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh, she championed adaptation and resilience, elevating the needs of vulnerable communities to the heart of global climate negotiations.
The Nobel Sustainability Medal recognizes Dr. Fouad’s values of resilience and collaboration. Moreover, it represents a milestone for the Arab region and Africa, highlighting the importance of diverse leadership in the global sustainability movement.
Her Acceptance Speech
Dr. Yasmine Fouad wins the Nobel Sustainability Medal. As she accepts the medal, her speech spreads hope, reminding people that sustainability is rooted in humanity. It’s about the safety and livelihood of communities, and ensuring that every child inherits a world of stability and possibility.
In her acceptance note, she dedicated the medal
“to the women who rebuild their communities, the young people who refuse to inherit despair, the workers who turn scarcity into innovation, and the families who choose hope every day,” she shares.
The world prepares for the 2026 UNCCD Conference of the Parties in Mongolia. Dr. Fouad’s recognition arrives at a pivotal moment, reaffirming the future of sustainability that the leaders who bring heart, humility, and hope to one of the defining challenges of our time.