Hi! I am Riccardo Zennaro, a Programme Management Officer at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in Nairobi, Kenya. I have a decade of experience working on environmental and water-related programs and projects, six with UNEP in Nairobi on wastewater, including two years spent steering this portfolio.

I am responsible for implementing several activities and projects, including coordinating the Global Wastewater Initiative. Before UNEP, I held posts at the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe at the European Commission, and worked with an Italian NGO in rural Tanzania. I hold a master’s degree in environmental technology and international affairs.

My passion for water? It started during my teenage years as a rowing athlete in Trieste, and it consolidated during my Erasmus in Rovaniemi, Finland: every day, I spent one hour cycling to University following a river, immersed in a beautiful winter landscape. In my free time, I enjoy being in nature, especially around water, and running outdoors. I also have a passion for Africa and love traveling, photography, and writing.

On a personal level, my next project is to drive along rivers and lakes from Nairobi to Cape Town in South Africa, a place I have always wanted to visit. Please reach out if you have any questions or want to connect!

Cheers!

Riccardo