A third of crucial fungi endangered, and other nature and climate stories you need to read this week

• This weekly round-up contains the key nature and climate news from the past week.
• Top nature and climate news: Fungi under threat; Tackling the climate crisis will increase global GDP; UK’s greenhouse gas emissions down.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which compiles the list of threatened species, says that “fungi are the unsung heroes of life on Earth, forming the very foundation of healthy ecosystems”. They provide nutrients for plants and trees, decompose matter and are a food source for a wide variety of species, including humans. Their destruction therefore has a knock-on effect on biodiversity and, ultimately, human health.

The second-largest kingdom after animals, with 155,000 known species, fungi are being impacted by climate change, as well as by humans, says the IUCN. At least 198 types of fungi are at risk of extinction as a result of deforestation, illegal logging and agricultural expansion. While over 50 are close to being wiped out in the US due to changing fire patterns.

Despite their importance to biodiversity, fungi have been “overlooked and under-appreciated”, says the IUCN. More old-growth forests need to be protected, it says, and forestry practices improved to include leaving dead wood scattered around to encourage fungi growth.

Advanced economies could see a 60% increase in per capita GDP growth by 2050 – if they commit to serious climate action.

Contrary to the argument that tackling the climate crisis – including switching to renewable energy – will cripple economies, latest research from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and the UN Development Programme has found that the opposite is true.

It makes the case that a low-carbon economy is a more efficient one, pointing out that the world currently emits 0.34kg of CO2-equivalent per dollar of economic output, but by following ‘Enhanced Nationally Determined Contributions’, those emissions would reduce by over half (0.14kg) by 2040.

Climate change was partly responsible for torrential rain and flooding in Argentina that killed 16 people in March, according to scientists at World Weather Attribution. Extreme heat caused a warm, humid mass of air that clashed with a cold front from the Patagonian region, causing heavy rain in the port city of Bahía Blanca.

South Korea has brought under control the country’s largest wildfires on record, a minister said on 28 March. The fires killed at least 28 people and burned more than 111,000 acres, including historic temples.

The UK’s greenhouse gas emissions fell by 4% in 2024, government data showed, due in part to the closure of the country’s last coal-fired power plant and a fall in emissions from the industrial sector.

Above-normal temperatures are expected in India throughout April, the director-general of the India Meteorological Department said on 31 March.

Water companies in England released over 3.6 million hours of untreated sewage into the county’s waterways in 2024, Reuters reports. This is a slight increase on the previous year and a record high.

Storms and wildfires highlight the growing threat climate hazards pose to businesses and societies. The impact of climate hazards, such as disruptions to water supply, damage to fixed assets and reduced worker productivity, will drive up business costs and reduce operational efficiency. The Forum’s recent study – Business on the Edge: Building Industry Resilience to Climate Hazards – explores their impact on fixed business assets in 20 industries.

The Gran Chaco is an important but often overlooked biome facing significant environmental risks due to agricultural expansion. A new report from the Forum looks at how regenerative agriculture, jurisdictional approaches to land-use planning and management and nature-based finance models could generate economic growth while future-proofing the region’s rich natural resources.