Fatima Amini

Pioneered large-scale desert greening in Iran to combat climate change and poverty

Fatima Amini (b. 1960) is an Iranian environmentalist and founder of the Humanity Healing International, an organization dedicated to combating desertification through innovative tree-planting techniques. Her work in Iran's Dasht-e Kavir desert has transformed over 100,000 hectares of barren land into thriving ecosystems since 2003. Amini's approach combines traditional knowledge with modern agroforestry practices, creating sustainable livelihoods for local communities while sequestering CO2 at a rate exceeding 10 tons per hectare annually. Her methods have been adopted by UN agencies and inspired similar projects across Africa and Central Asia. In 2018, she established the Greening Deserts Network, connecting over 500 grassroots organizations globally. Amini's TED Talk "The Power of Planting Trees" has garnered over 2 million views, amplifying her message that desertification is reversible through collective action.