Dr. Musonda Mumba
Rome, Italy
Dr. Musonda Mumba, a Zambian National, is the Director of The Rome Centre for Sustainable Development under the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in close collaboration with the Italian Government (Ministry of Environment and Ecological Transition). The Centre focuses on three priority areas notably: Climate Change, Sustainable Development, and Nature Protection. In her role, she provides strategic leadership on these matters through convening, collaboration, connecting, and co-creation as the world navigates complexity and uncertainty, with the aim of achieving the SDGs collectively. Her ambition is that this work is done with a Systems Thinking lens and also Systems Leadership. She has over 25 years of experience in environmental and conservation issues globally.
Dr. Musonda Mumba is the Chair of the Global Partnership on Forest and Landscape Restoration (GPFLR) and Vice-Chair of the Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF). She is also the Founder of the Network of African Women Environmentalists (NAWE). She has published widely in various journals, newspapers, and articles and contributed to book chapters. Before joining UNDP, Musonda was the head of the United Nations Environment Programme – UNEP’s Terrestrial Ecosystems Programme and served in various roles over a period of 12 years. Before working for UNEP, Musonda worked for the Zambian Government, Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (in Switzerland), WWF (at International, UK, and East Africa Regional Offices), and as such working with governments in Africa, Europe, Asia, and Latin America. She received her BSc. Ed degree from the University of Zambia (UNZA) and a Ph.D. from University College London (UCL) in Wetland Conservation and Hydrology. Outside her work, her interests include abstract painting, cooking, running, yoga, mountain climbing, and introducing her children to and teaching them about the natural world. She speaks English, Bemba, French, and KiSwahili.