A new United Nations report found that the global economic cost of invasive alien species was more than $423 billion annually in 2019, noting that costs have increased at least fourfold in every decade since 1970.
The Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) report found that more than 37,000 species have been introduced worldwide through human activities. The study found that invasive species are one of the five “direct drivers” of biodiversity loss.
“The rapidly growing threat that invasive alien species pose to biodiversity, ecosystem services, sustainable development and human well-being is generally poorly understood,” Helen Roy, professor and co-chair of IPBES, said in a statement. “This authoritative report will make an important contribution to filling critical knowledge gaps, supporting decision-makers and raising public awareness to inform action to mitigate the impacts of invasive alien species.”
Other drivers include changes in land and sea use, direct exploitation of species, climate change and environmental pollution. The study found that invasive alien species were a “major factor” in 60 percent and the “sole trigger” in 16 percent of global animal and plant extinctions.
At least 218 invasive alien species were the cause of more than 1,200 species extinctions, the study found. It found that 85 percent of the impacts of invasive species on native species are negative.
However, the study also found that prevention measures could help stop future biological invasions.
“The good news is that for almost every context and situation, there are management tools, governance options and targeted measures that really work,” said Aníbal Pauchard, professor and co-chair of IPBES. “Prevention is absolutely the best and most cost-effective option – but eradication, containment and control are also effective in certain contexts.”
“Ecosystem restoration can also improve the outcomes of management actions and increase the resilience of ecosystems to future invasive alien species,” Pauchard added. “In fact, managing invasive alien species can help mitigate the negative impacts of other drivers of change.”
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