Discussions of sustainability are abstract and distant, but Dr. Reine Youssef’s tone is simply wonderful in its down-to-earth quality. Childhood, international travel, and sensitivity to cultural differences are all combined with visions of sustainability. It starts with the tranquil rhythms of a Lebanese village, where the way of life of her own family had been an exemplar of ecological balance years before this global employment of the term “sustainability.”.
Policy panels and classrooms are not where she began. She began with the olive groves and orchards of her home country. Her path from there to Germany, where she earned a PhD in environmental education as a DAAD scholar, and eventually to the global sphere as a mentor, leader, and activist began with these early childhood experiences.
In addition to her multi-disciplinary academic, government, diplomacy, and international development experience, what distinguishes her is the way in which she is collecting various viewpoints into a quality story that is an inspiration for young professionals who are in search of meaning.
She is asking the next generation to value vision over expediency, resilience over cynicism, and integrity over convenience in their work as authors and as thought leaders. She believes that true sustainability is rooted not in fleeting, spectacular acts, but in cultivating enduring values, attitudes, and systems that can stand the test of centuries.
What pivotal experiences sparked your commitment to sustainability?
“My journey into sustainability wasn’t sparked by a single moment; it was cultivated quietly over time, rooted in the rhythms of a childhood spent in deep connection with nature.” Dr. Reine Youssef reflects. Growing up in her Lebanese village, sustainability wasn’t a concept it was simply life. Her father, a surgeon, insisted on seasonal eating and refused processed foods, considering detergents more dangerous than germs. Their home was cleaned with vinegar, lemon, and olive oil soap. Her mother, a librarian, spent her time preserving jams, drying herbs, and fermenting pickles, always finding ways to extend the land’s gifts without waste.
“We didn’t have a word for sustainability. We just lived it,” she says. This foundation would later make perfect sense when she received the prestigious DAAD scholarship to pursue her doctorate in environmental education in Germany, studying in a country that had institutionalized sustainability from policy to pedagogy.
How have your diverse roles shaped your current perspective?
Dr. Reine Youssef career has been deliberately non-linear, spanning academia, government, diplomacy, and international development. “Each role has been a vital thread in a broader tapestry,” she explains. Her academic foundation taught her that sustainability is fundamentally about shaping mindsets and values, while her government and diplomatic work revealed a crucial truth: “Sustainability cannot take root without good governance. Transparency, equity, and institutional accountability are not optional; they are the bedrock of any livable and just future.”
Through strategic leadership roles and cross-sector partnerships, she learned to see sustainability not as a sector, but as an ethic that must be embedded across education, governance, strategic planning, environmental and cultural preservation, and economic development. It cannot be sold. It cannot be cosmetic. And it must never be performative.
How do you balance ecological integrity with economic growth?
Drawing from global examples, Dr. Reine Youssef points to transformative cases like Costa Rica, where over 25% of land is protected in national parks and reserves, with tourism revenue directly funding conservation programs. “Costa Rica has shown how tourism revenues can directly support biodiversity conservation while improving livelihoods,” she notes.
She also cites Bhutan’s “high-value, low-volume” tourism model, where tourists pay a daily fee that covers accommodation, guides, and a sustainability royalty, limiting over-tourism while ensuring visitor spending contributes to education, healthcare, and environmental conservation.
“Ultimately, it is not a choice between nature and economy,” she emphasizes. “There is no economy without nature. The most resilient cities understand that protecting their natural and cultural assets is the foundation for sustainable economic growth.”
How is sustainability woven into AlUla’s development?
While careful to note she doesn’t speak officially for the Royal Commission for AlUla, Dr. Reine Youssef draws from global principles relevant to the region’s unique context. “If you look at cities that have made real, lasting progress on sustainability, key elements consistently emerge: a unifying vision that resonates with the community, robust laws effectively enforced, and crucially, a high level of public awareness and education.”
She references transformative examples like Minamata, Japan, where environmental disaster sparked national awakening, and Curitiba, Brazil, where visionary leadership created sustainable urban development through practical action and environmental education. “Whether in Minamata, Curitiba, or AlUla, the thread that binds all enduring success stories is a well-informed, actively engaged community.”
How do you define meaningful impact in sustainability?
“True success in sustainability is often measured not in what we build, but in what we protect, restore, and enable for the future.” Dr. Reine Youssef explains. She advocates multi-dimensional impact that integrates environmental, social, cultural, and economic indicators measuring not just carbon reductions or biodiversity recovery, but the resilience of communities, preservation of heritage, and people’s sense of belonging.
“Sometimes the most impactful work is invisible: policies that prevent harm, education that shifts mindsets, or land use decisions that preserve a valley for the future,” she reflects, citing the Native American proverb: “We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children.”
What tools do you use to track environmental and social progress?
While acknowledging the value of data dashboards and AI-powered analytics, Dr. Reine Youssef
emphasizes that “technology is not a goal in itself, it is a means to better stewardship.” The key is using technology in context-sensitive, human-centered ways that bridge data with decision-making while ensuring transparency and accountability.
“It’s not about the sophistication of the tool, but how well it helps connect people to purpose, and how clearly it illuminates whether we are moving in the right direction towards a more just, resilient, and sustainable future.”
What legacy do you hope to leave?
Dr. Reine Youssef aspirations are deeply personal and tied to her homeland. “Lebanon is a land of staggering natural beauty and extraordinary historical depth, a cradle of ancient civilizations,” she says, acknowledging the country’s current challenges: environmental degradation, economic collapse, and social disillusionment.
Yet she sees hope in Lebanon’s enduring resilience. “I believe solutions will not come from replicating models from elsewhere, but from nurturing what is already there: community ingenuity, local knowledge, youth potential, and an intimate relationship with nature that still exists in our rural landscapes.”
Her vision is ambitious: contributing to building a new political and economic system while protecting old wisdom, one that strengthens governance, empowers communities, and regenerates landscapes so that future generations inherit clean air, stable livelihoods, and a sense of belonging.
What guidance do you offer young sustainability professionals?
“Let your compass be integrity, not convenience. The sustainability domain demands long-term thinking in a world wired for short-term gain. It calls for individuals who are not only technically capable, but morally grounded people willing to speak uncomfortable truths and challenge broken systems.” Dr. Reine Youssef
advises.
She emphasizes carrying values into every room: “Corruption, opacity, and apathy are some of the deepest barriers to true sustainability. Be the person who upholds transparency, asks hard questions, and advocates for fairness.”
Acknowledging the field’s challenges, she counsels resilience over cynicism: “Find your allies, build coalitions, and remember that every small gain matters. Systems change when people do.” Her message to students is clear: “Walk into this field with open eyes, a strong spine, and a steady heart. The world needs you.”
What personal values or philosophies guide your decision-making and leadership style?
Dr. Reine Youssef philosophy is perhaps best captured in her reference to Immanuel Kant’s categorical imperative: “Act only according to that maxim whereby you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law.” This principle of moral leadership and universal accountability guides her integrity-driven approach to sustainability.
As Gibran Khalil Gibran wrote, “You work that you may keep pace with the earth and the soul of the earth.” For Dr. Reine Youssef, this captures the essence of sustainability work that is humble, rooted, and in rhythm with the living world around us.
Her journey from a Lebanese village to global sustainability leadership demonstrates that the most profound environmental solutions often emerge not from abandoning traditional wisdom, but from weaving it thoughtfully into our modern challenges. In a world increasingly disconnected from natural rhythms, Dr. Reine Youssef reminds us that sustainability isn’t just about future technology, it’s about remembering ancient truths and having the courage to live with them.
