The United Nations Secretary-General designated Dr. David Cooper as Acting Executive Secretary of the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) as of 15 February 2023 until 1 July 2024.
Prior to his appointment, David had been the Deputy Executive Secretary at the CBD Secretariat since October 2015, where he assisted the Executive Secretary by leading the strategic and planning activities of the Secretariat, as well as the intergovernmental processes and activities under the Convention and its two protocols — the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety and the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing.ECI
David has more than 30 years of experience in environmental and agricultural science and policy, and international negotiations, including more than 20 years with the CBD. He has built strong and productive working relationships with Parties in all regions and with partners in civil society, international organisations, and the scientific community. As Secretary of the fifteenth meeting of the CBD Conference of the Parties (COP 15), held in Kunming, China (in October 2021) and in Montreal, Canada (in December 2022), David was instrumental in facilitating the complex pathway that led to the successful finalisation and adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and other key decisions, including those on digital sequence information on genetic resources, and on resource mobilisation.
David was previously Director of the division for science, assessment and monitoring at the Secretariat. Prior to that, he coordinated implementation of the Convention’s strategic plans, including through the national biodiversity strategies and action plans, and led various work programmes, including on agricultural biodiversity, drylands, plant conservation, climate change and engagement with the private sector.
Related News Articles

David Cooper appointed Chair of the Joint Nature Conservation Committee
The appointment was made in conjunction with the devolved governments and is for a three-year term from 1 June 2025 to 31 May 2028.

The Global Biodiversity Framework – Sandra Diaz
We were lucky enough to have a short conversation with Sandra Diaz, where we find out more about here involvement with the COP 15Â Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Listen to the Podcast here If you enjoy what she has to say, you can watch a full lecture from her here Some related articles as well as […]
Related Outputs
The Oxford delegation’s COP 16 Debrief
The headlines and statements that come out of COP16 rarely provide the full picture of what has occurred. We are lucky enough to have our Oxford Delegation deeply involved in participation and observation of some key moments as well as having off the record conversations with ministers, senior environmental figures and heads of state. To […]