Nobel Sustainability Trust Hosts Successful Annual Summit in Miami to Tackle Global Environmental Challenges

The 2025 NST Summit in Miami

On December 5, 2025, the Nobel Sustainability Trust (NST) held its Annual Summit at the luxurious St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort in Miami. Remarkably, this event drew together esteemed global leaders, policymakers, scientists, and innovative entrepreneurs, all converging to discuss and accelerate solutions aimed at ensuring a more sustainable future. The summit kicked off with a grand Gala Dinner, artfully moderated by the acclaimed journalist Gloria Ordaz. Welcome speeches were delivered by NST leadership alongside representatives from Miami-Dade County, including Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. One of the highlights of the evening was an insightful keynote address from Ambassador Andrew Jackson Young, accompanied by several distinguished guests.

The official summit proceeded under the capable moderation of Jeff Hoffman, Chairman of the Global Entrepreneurship Network and co-founder of Priceline and Booking.com. The opening remarks set the tone for a day filled with inspiration and motivation, led by Peter Nobel, the Chairman of the NST, alongside impactful remarks from renowned climate expert Johan Rockström.

A standout moment of the summit was the Sustainability Award Ceremony, where the NST Board of Directors introduced the evening's special awards. Ed Russo, who represented the President of the United States, delivered a keynote speech that emphasized governmental commitment to sustainability and received a significant recognition from the NST. The ceremony highlighted the achievements of 2025’s Outstanding Contribution to Sustainability Medal recipients, H.E. Abdullah bin Hamad bin Abdullah Al Attiya and H.E. Dr. Yasmine Fouad, who underscored global initiatives toward sustainable practices.

The Academic Awards segment celebrated excellence in research and innovation, with presentations for the 2025 Sustainability Award themes delivered by the Technical University of Munich. Awards were given for Leadership in Implementation, Outstanding Research in Biodiversity, and Innovative Urban Sustainability Solutions. Esteemed scholars Professors Manfred Curbach and Paul Hebert, along with the Global Observatory for Healthy Sustainable Cities, were among those honored.

In an exciting development for future collaboration, NST announced a strategic academic partnership with the prestigious University of Cambridge and its Frontier Technology Lab, marking a critical step forward for initiatives involving AI governance and sustainability innovation.

During the midday program, a strategic alliance between AECOM and NST was officially announced, bringing forth the first Smart Sustainable City Certificate awarded to Lusail City in Doha, Qatar.

The summit sessions explored essential future-focused themes, including AI-driven Smart City Solutions and the vital role of biodiversity as a cornerstone for global infrastructure. In an impressive keynote address delivered on behalf of the Panamanian President, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Panama also spoke passionately about international collaboration. Keynote interventions were further enhanced by contributions from Youssef Nassef of the UNFCCC Adaptation Division and Professor Graciela Chichilnisky, highlighting critical discussions around Climate Finance and the emerging era of Artificial Intelligence.

As 2025 Miami Summit came to a close, the NST reaffirmed its mission and solidified its place as a pivotal platform for sustainability leadership, innovation, and global collaboration, with future summits already planned for Doha. The convergence of leaders and innovators at this summit marks a significant step toward addressing the pressing global challenges of sustainability and igniting further cooperation across borders.