Tobias Kaufmann Vice Chair of the WTPF-26 IEG, EUR Region, speaks with Gretchen Bueermann, from the WTPF-26 secretariat, about ongoing preparations for the 2026 World Telecommunications ICT Policy

Tobias Kaufmann Vice Chair of the WTPF-26 IEG, EUR Region, speaks with Gretchen Bueermann, from the WTPF-26 secretariat, about ongoing preparations for the 2026 World Telecommunications ICT Policy Forum (WTPF), which will address five interconnected priorities: bridging digital divides, green digital transformation, resilience of telecommunications and ICTs, space connectivity, and strengthening ICT-centric innovation ecosystems and entrepreneurship.

Tobias Kaufmann explains how these topics complement each other to address global needs and technological challenges. He emphasizes the importance of the WTPF as a platform for facilitating inclusive dialogue, sharing best practices, and developing a shared vision for an inclusive, sustainable, and resilient digital future.

Read the new draft report here: https://www.itu.int/md/S24-WTPF26PREP-R-0003/en and make your voice heard through the open consultation: https://wtpf.itu.int/2026/consultations/march-2025/

ITU interviews and soundbites may be edited for content and duration. The views and opinions expressed are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of the ITU.

Imagine an underground web of mind-boggling complexity, a bustling cosmopolis beneath your feet. Quadrillions of miles of tiny threads in the soil pulsate with real-time messages, trade vital

Imagine an underground web of mind-boggling complexity, a bustling cosmopolis beneath your feet. Quadrillions of miles of tiny threads in the soil pulsate with real-time messages, trade vital nutrients, and form life-giving symbiotic partnerships. This is the mysterious realm of fungi. Acclaimed visionary biologists Toby Kiers and Merlin Sheldrake guide us through the intricate wonders of the mycorrhizal fungal networks that make life on Earth possible.


This is an episode of Nature's Genius, a Bioneers limited series. Visit the series page to learn more.


Featuring


Toby Kiers, Ph.D., is the Executive Director and Chief Scientist of SPUN (the Society for the Protection of Underground Networks) (https://www.spun.earth/) and a Professor of Evolutionary Biology at VU, Amsterdam.


Merlin Sheldrake, Ph.D., is a biologist and writer with a background in plant sciences, microbiology, ecology, and the history and philosophy of science. He is currently a research associate of the Vrije University Amsterdam, works with the SPUN, and sits on the advisory board of the Fungi Foundation (https://www.ffungi.org/) .


Credits



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Executive Producer: Kenny Ausubel


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Written by: Cathy Edwards and Kenny Ausubel


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Produced by: Cathy Edwards


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Senior Producer: Stephanie Welch


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Program Engineer and Music Supervisor: Emily Harris


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Host and Consulting Producer: Neil Harvey


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Producer: Teo Grossman


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Graphic Design: Megan Howe



Resources


Merlin Sheldrake – How Fungi Make our Worlds (https://bioneers.org/merlin-sheldrake-fungi-make-worlds-zstf2404/) | Bioneers 2024 Keynote


Merlin Sheldrake and Toby Kiers – Mapping, Protecting and Harnessing the Mycorrhizal Networks that Sustain Life on Earth (https://bioneers.org/merlin-sheldrake-and-toby-kiers-mapping-protecting-and-harnessing-the-mycorrhizal-networks-that-sustain-life-on-earth/) | Bioneers 2024 Panel Discussion


Interview with Merlin Sheldrake, Author of Entangled Life (https://bioneers.org/interview-merlin-sheldrake-entangled-life-ztvz2007/)


Deep Dive: Intelligence in Nature (https://bioneers.org/intelligence-in-nature-media-collection/)


Earthlings: Intelligence in Nature (https://bioneers.org/earthlings/) | Bioneers Newsletter


SPUN (the Society for the Protection of Underground Networks) (https://www.spun.earth/)


Fungi Foundation (https://www.ffungi.org/)

Uploaded on Nov 30, 2009