Christopher Dunn (DRAFT BIO)
Return to COP26 Delegation
Attending Week 2
Christopher Dunn is the Elizabeth Newman Wilds Executive Director of Cornell Botanic Gardens and an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Section of Horticulture. His professional experience is in plant conservation ecology and in understanding the interdependence between biological and human cultural (and language) diversity. It is increasingly evident that impacts to natural systems are leading to serious erosion of human cultural diversity. In fact, 50 percent of languages are considered endangered. Conservation and education programs at botanic gardens should (and increasingly are) raising awareness of these connections.
He is actively engaged with boards of several organizations working to preserve the world’s biocultural diversity, including the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s U.S. office, the Center for Plant Conservation, and Terralingua. He is chair of the IUCN National Committee for the U.S. and the North American councilor for the International Association of Botanic Gardens. He has served as president of the American Public Gardens Association and received the association’s Award of Merit.
Areas of Expertise: Plant Conservation, Climate Change, Biocultural Diversity and Conservation, International Conservation Strategies
Associated SDGs: Reduced Inequalities (10), Sustainable Cities and Communities (11), Climate Action (13), Life on Land (15), Partnerships for the Goals (17)