In a groundbreaking statement, The Republic of Chile and The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, alongside other countries, are calling on the world’s environmental decision-makers to put fungi on the center stage as they announce the launch of an official Fungal Conservation Pledge. As representatives gather in October at the Convention on Biological Diversity in Cali, Colombia, we stand at a critical juncture in the preservation of our planet's biodiversity. The time to stand for fungi is now.

Underground ecosystems — and the fungi they contain — have been overlooked in climate solutions, biodiversity assessments, and conservation targets for too long. Fungal communities play a key role in regulating biodiversity, climate, and global nutrient cycles. Mycorrhizal fungi move carbon and nutrients across ecosystems, drawing down ~13 billion tons of CO2 per year. And yet an overwhelming majority of mycorrhizal biodiversity hotspots — and the vast carbon sinks they safeguard — remain unprotected.