Richard Munang is the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Head of Global Environment Monitoring Systems.
Before his appointment, Richard was the Deputy Regional Director of UNEP Africa Office where he led and guided the seamless execution of UNEP's programmes in Africa. Specifically, he led the implementation of the UNEP delivery model at both strategic and operational levels using a unified approach to involve the entire UN development System. He also innovatively devised thought solutions in key cross-cutting areas like food systems and One-Health, highlighting the role of the environment in practical solutions, leveraging a data-driven approach to inform policy and investments.
Richard was also the Climate Change Coordinator of the same office, where he guided the implementation of UNEP’s climate-resilient development strategy at national and regional levels, leading programs on climate change, innovative financing, food security, and clean energy in over 50 countries, providing technical support, and capacity building to ensure climate action policies and investments are informed by the latest science and empirical data of what works. He fostered alliances with key regional organisations, stakeholders, and governments. He has extensive programming, policy implementation experience, strategic influencing, thought leadership, coordination, program management, partnerships, communications, stakeholder engagement, advocacy, and policy guidance.
Richard’s first assignment at UNEP was as a Project Manager with its Ecosystems Division in 2009. He managed the first UNEP Adaptation Project called the Climate Change Adaptation and Development Programme (CCDare), implemented jointly with UNDP. He later worked on Ecosystems Based Adaptation (EBA) for mountains, Food security, Coastal ecosystems, low emissions development and Climate action projects.
When he joined the Africa office, he pioneered the first UNEP Africa Adaptation Gap report series, which helped to galvanise a coherent continental strategic climate policy position, elevating adaptation to be at par with mitigation, an AMCEN priority. He spearheaded the conceptualisation and creation of the Ecosystem-Based Adaptation for Food Security Assembly (EBAFOSA), a continental policy framework and implementation platform for adaptation and food security in Africa. He has enhanced youth skills retooling to leverage their passion for turning climate change challenges into climate opportunities.
Before joining the United Nations, Richard worked as a Research Fellow at Trinity College, University of Dublin, and as a Lecturer at Nottingham University. He has participated in various research projects and published over 500 articles in international peer-reviewed journals and magazines. He is the author of the book– Making Africa Work through the Power of Innovative Volunteerism and has co-written chapters in publications on environment, climate, and development policy. Committed to empowering future leaders and change-makers, Dr. Munang founded the Innovative Volunteerism mentorship programme, guiding young people to transform their passion into profit by tapping environmental action as a source of enterprise.
He is the 2016 winner of UNEP’s Baobab staff awards for Programme Innovation for enhancing efficiency and efficacy, with UNEP's work on EBA policy integration being up-scaled nationally and regionally and the prestigious " 2023 Your Nottingham Alumni Award" from the University of Nottingham for exceptional excellence. He was recognised in 2023 as one of the Top 50 Global Thought Leaders in Sustainability.
Richard is a Cameroonian Citizen who holds a PhD in Environmental Change and Policy from the University of Nottingham and completed the pioneering Executive Certificate in ‘Climate Change and Energy: Policy Making for the Long Term at Harvard University Kennedy School of Government.
