Nobel Sustainability Trust Presents the 2025 Sustainability Academic Awards

This year, the prestigious Sustainability Awards, presented by the Nobel Sustainability Trust (NST) in cooperation with the Technical University of Munich (TUM), honor two distinguished researchers from Germany and Canada, as well as an international organization based in Australia.

The 2025 award winners, who share a total prize fund of up to 1.3 million Swedish kronor, are:

Prof. Manfred Curbach from TU Dresden

Prof. Paul Hebert from the University of Guelph

The Global Observatory of Healthy and Sustainable Cities (GOHSC)

They are being recognized for their leadership and innovation in implementing sustainability measures. Specifically, their contributions include the development of environmentally friendly carbon concrete, the introduction of DNA barcoding to catalogue biodiversity, and the establishment of a global monitoring system for healthier and more sustainable cities.

The awards will be presented at the 5th Summit of the Nobel Sustainability Trust, which will take place on December 5, 2025, in Miami. The Sustainability Awards are open to individuals from science and industry, as well as organizations and companies that actively promote the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

About the Award Winners

Category: Leadership in the Implementation of Sustainability

Prof. Manfred Curbach, a civil engineer at TU Dresden, is the pioneer of carbon concrete, a sustainable alternative to reinforced concrete. Carbon concrete allows for resource-efficient, lightweight, and material-saving construction, enabling significant CO₂ reductions. For this groundbreaking achievement, Prof. Curbach received the German Future Prize in 2016, awarded by the Federal President of Germany.

Category: Outstanding Research and Development in the Field of Biodiversity

Prof. Paul Hebert, Director of the Centre for Biodiversity Genomics at the University of Guelph, Canada, developed the revolutionary method of DNA barcoding. With this approach, a short DNA sequence is sufficient to identify species rapidly and accurately. As founder of the International Barcode of Life project, his vision is to genetically catalogue and monitor all known species on Earth, creating a vital resource for global biodiversity research and conservation.

Category: Outstanding Research and Development for Intelligent and Sustainable Urban Solutions

The Global Observatory of Healthy and Sustainable Cities (GOHSC) is an international and interdisciplinary initiative established in 2022. Its mission is to promote health and sustainability in urban environments through the development of a global monitoring system. By using evidence-based spatial and policy indicators, GOHSC measures progress toward healthier, more sustainable cities. Today, the network comprises 294 members from 185 cities across 54 countries, representing a truly global movement for sustainable urban futures.

Words from the Organizers

Peter Nobel, Chairman of the Nobel Sustainability Trust, stated: On behalf of the Nobel Sustainability Trust, I am honored to celebrate the recipients of the 2025 Sustainability Awards. These awards recognize not only individual excellence but also the power of innovation and collaboration in shaping a sustainable future. At NST, our mission is to encourage solutions that reduce climate change, promote clean technologies, and create a life-sustaining environment for future generations. With the support of our partners, including the Technical University of Munich, we are proud to highlight achievements that inspire the world to act with urgency and responsibility. I warmly congratulate the award winners and thank them for their outstanding contributions. Their efforts are paving the way toward a future in which humanity can prosper in harmony with the planet.

Prof. Michael Molls, Director of the TUM Institute for Advanced Study (TUM-IAS), emphasized:

“Urban life, construction, and biodiversity research are at the heart of this year’s Sustainability Awards. These are essential issues if we are to live sustainably and to better understand the interaction between human society, fauna, and flora. With the three award winners, we are recognizing innovative ideas, groundbreaking research, and successful implementation.