Assessment Report on Invasive
Alien Species and their Control
www.ipbes.net
The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform
on Biodiversity & Ecosystem Services#InvasiveAlienSpecies Assessment

1.

What are invasive alien species?

Invasive alien species are oneof the 5 major drivers ofbiodiversity loss

Alien species are animals, plants, and otherorganisms that have been introduced by humanactivities to new regions
Invasive alien species are a subset of alien species,
known to have established and spread with negative
impacts on nature. Many invasive alien species also
have impacts on people#InvasiveAlienSpecies Assessment

2.

Findings of the reportPeople and nature are threatened by invasive alienspecies in all regions of Earth
37,000 established alien species have been
introduced by human activities worldwide
200 new alien species every year
3,500 invasive alien species, with negative
impacts on nature, and also on people
More than 2,300 invasive alien species are foundon lands of Indigenous Peoples across all regionsof Earth#InvasiveAlienSpecies Assessment

How do invasive alien species
impact nature and people?
Mechanisms of impacts include changes in ecosystems,predation and herbivory, and competition with native species.
Economies, food security, water security, human health andcultural identities are profoundly and negatively affected byinvasive alien species.
People with the greatest direct dependence on nature,including Indigenous Peoples and local communities, may bedisproportionately affected by invasive alien species.
Example: Spodoptera frugiperda (fall armyworm) increased
labour and pesticide costs in North Sumatra, Indonesia.

#InvasiveAlienSpecies Assessment

A few numbers on impacts

60%of global species
extinctions havebeen caused, solely
or alongside otherdrivers, by invasive
alien species>$423
billion85%

80%

is the estimatedglobal annual costsof biologicalinvasions in 2019.

of impacts onnature and goodquality of life arenegativeof impacts onnature’scontributions topeople arenegative#InvasiveAlienSpecies Assessment

Focus on the Asia-Pacific region
The numbers of alien animal species increased continuously
for all taxonomic groups and all subregions of the AsiaPacific region, and likely to continue in the future
Asia has the highest number of established alien mammals
One quarter of documented impacts from invasive alien
species have been reported in the Asia-Pacific region, withthe highest number of impacts on health

Extinction hotspots, where invasive alien species aredocumented as the main cause, are mainly located in theAsia-Pacific region (73 per cent)
Data on alien plants, invertebrates, microorganisms, fungi andmarine and freshwater species are scarce in the Asia-Pacificregion#InvasiveAlienSpecies Assessment

Current policies have been insufficient in managing
biological invasions and preventing and controllinginvasive alien species
Although most countries (80%) have targets for themanagement of biological invasions within their national
biodiversity strategies and action plans
83% of countries do not have national legislation orregulations directed specifically toward the prevention andcontrol of invasive alien species
Nearly half of all countries (45%) do not invest inmanagement of invasive alien species
There is an inadequate policy implementation due to limited
capacity and resourcing#InvasiveAlienSpecies Assessment

People at the heart of theproblem…
Many human activities facilitate the transport, introduction,
establishment and spread of invasive alien species
If things remain unchanged, by 2050 the total number ofalien species globally is expected to be about one-third
higher than in 2005.
Other drivers of change such demographic, economic,
and land- and sea-use change are increasing and canamplify the threats and impacts of invasive alien species
Climate change will also be a major cause of future
increases in the risk of invasive alien species#InvasiveAlienSpecies Assessment

… People at the heart of thesolution
Biological invasions and their adverse impacts can beprevented and mitigated through effective management
Prevention and preparedness are the most cost-effective
options
Eradication, containment and control can also be effective
options in some contexts
Example from Asia: an adaptive integrated management
approach built on strong regulatory controls on timbermovement and silvicultural, insecticidal and semiochemical
trapping has limited the rapid spread of Dendroctonus
valens (red turpentine beetle) and further impact on thenative pine trees in China#InvasiveAlienSpecies Assessment

Challenges in managing biological invasions
Differences in perception, including conflicting interests and values, of the importance and urgencyof the threat of invasive alien species, coupled with lack of awareness of the need for a collective
and coordinated response, as well as gaps in data and knowledge, can hinder the management ofinvasive alien species.
Scarcity of resources, capacity and capability are
hurdles to successful management of biologicalinvasions, especially in Asia
The management of invasive alien species can,in some cases, raise multiple ethical debates
about animal welfare and rights#InvasiveAlienSpecies AssessmentAmbitious progress in biological invasion
management can be achieved with integrated
governance
In December 2023, Governments have agreed
to“Eliminate, minimize, reduce and or mitigate the impacts ofinvasive alien species on biodiversity and ecosystemservices by identifying and managing pathways of theintroduction of alien species, preventing the introductionand establishment of priority invasive alien species,
reducing the rates of introduction and establishment ofother known or potential invasive alien species by at least
50 per cent by 2030, and eradicating or controlling invasive
alien species, especially in priority sites, such as islands”
Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, Target
6.

#InvasiveAlienSpecies Assessment

There is compelling evidence for immediateand sustained action
With sufficient resources and long-term
commitment, preventing and controllinginvasive alien species are attainable goals
that will yield significant long-term benefits
for people and nature.

#InvasiveAlienSpecies Assessment

3.

Expected impacts of the Report

The invasive alien species Assessment is the first comprehensive global
report on invasive alien species and their controlIt provides the best-available evidence, critical analysis and options forgovernments, civil society, Indigenous Peoples and local communities, theprivate sector and all those seeking to address the issue of biologicalinvasions#InvasiveAlienSpecies Assessment

The findings of the invasive alien
species assessment are expected
to contribute to achieving
international targets on biologicalinvasions:- Target 6 of the Kunming-Montreal
Global Biodiversity Framework- Support implementation of theSustainable Development Goals of
the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development, especially Goal 15
Photo by IISD/ENB#InvasiveAlienSpecies Assessment

Thank you!
¡Gracias!
Merci!
#InvasiveAlienSpecies Assessment

4.

Assessment process

Developed over 4 years
3 Authors meetings (Tsukuba, online & Aarhus)
2 External reviews
1 Additional review by governments

Produced by a multidisciplinary team of 86 experts andmany contributing authors
Over 13,000 documents reviewed in depth
Various values and knowledge systems considered, drawing on scientific and grey literature, andinformation from indigenous and local knowledge

Engagement with Indigenous and local knowledge
3 dialogue workshops (Montreal and online),a call for contributions, andcollaboration with ILK experts and holders within the expert team and as contributing authors#InvasiveAlienSpecies Assessment

Produced by a multidisciplinary team of 86 experts andmany contributing authors
86 nominated experts from 47 countries,
encompassing all regions and many disciplines
About 200 contributing authors

Supported by a management committee
Technical support unit based in Japan (Institutefor Global Environmental Strategies, IGES)#InvasiveAlienSpecies Assessment