According to Yasmine Fouad, economic development and environmental protection should not be mutually exclusive. The UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) emphasized in an interview with China Media Group that long-term economic growth cannot come at the expense of nature.
Fouad also commented on the Chinese concept of "ecological civilization," which is based on the idea that "clear waters and green mountains are invaluable assets." This environmental philosophy is championed by Chinese President Xi Jinping, and its essence lies in linking economic development with the protection of natural resources.
According to Fouad, this approach demonstrates that environmental protection does not have to be a barrier to economic growth. On the contrary, it can be one of the prerequisites for long-term prosperity.
She paid particular attention to land degradation, desertification, and drought. These problems are already causing hundreds of billions of dollars in damage to the global economy each year, and their impacts could worsen further without timely action.
Fouad therefore called on governments and international institutions to invest more in restoring degraded land and preventing further degradation. She emphasized that acting early is significantly more economically beneficial than waiting until an environmental problem turns into a major crisis.
According to her, protecting soil and landscapes is not only an environmental issue. It is also closely linked to food security, water availability, economic stability, and the living conditions of millions of people.
The main message of her speech was that economic development must be planned in conjunction with the protection of natural resources. If countries are to achieve sustainable growth in the long term, they must invest not only in production and infrastructure, but also in restoring landscapes and preventing environmental damage.
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