Dubai scientist helps craft first global strategy for fungal conservation
Georgina Pereira, a Dubai-based scientist, has contributed to the world’s first Global Strategy for Fungal Conservation, launched on 21 October at the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP17) in Armenia. The initiative brings together experts from 30 countries to address the long-standing neglect of fungi in conservation policy and practice.
International collaboration
Pereira works as Species Survival Manager at the IUCN SSC Centre for Species Survival Fungi at Terra, Expo City Dubai. She is among the international co-authors of the strategy, which aims to protect fungi that are essential to ecosystems but have historically been overlooked.
Regional perspective
Her involvement adds a Middle Eastern viewpoint to the global effort. The region, particularly the Arabian Peninsula’s arid ecosystems, remains understudied for fungal biodiversity. Fungi in these dry environments play crucial roles in maintaining soil health, supporting plant life and strengthening ecosystem resilience.
Building local knowledge
At Terra, this work is already underway. Pereira’s team is compiling the UAE’s first national macrofungi checklist and creating an Arabian Peninsula fungal database. Combined with ongoing research and species assessments, these projects aim to fill critical gaps in knowledge and lay the scientific groundwork for future conservation measures.
Pereira said: ‘For too long, fungi have been missing from the conservation conversation, despite being fundamental to the ecosystems we depend on. In the Middle East, this gap is particularly significant because we are still uncovering the diversity of fungal life in our deserts and understanding the roles these species play. This strategy gives us a framework to move from understanding what we don’t know to taking meaningful conservation action. At Terra, we’re working to build the scientific knowledge and regional collaboration needed to ensure fungi in arid environments are no longer overlooked.’
Terra, described as the World’s Living Wonder, is a sustainability hub in the UAE. It aims to encourage climate action, environmental innovation and public awareness of sustainability, biodiversity and conservation. The facility was designed around a vision of harmony between nature and people. It produces its own energy and water, and its mission is to inspire visitors to take small daily actions that protect the planet.
