Biodiversity body warns of $423bn annual hit from ‘invasive alien species’

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🗞️ Driving the news: The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) alerts that invasive species, relocated due to human actions, are causing significant economic and environmental damage calculated conservatively at $423bn for 2019 alone

🔭 The context: A comprehensive report spanning four years found that humans have transferred 37,000 species worldwide 
• Out of these, over 3,500 are considered invasive alien species because of the significant damage they've inflicted on their new habitats

🌎 Why does it matter for the planet: These invasive species are a primary cause behind 60% of global animal and plant extinctions

⏭️ What's next: There's a call for preventive action both at national and global scales, emphasizing the importance of enhanced biosecurity, early detection, and eradication of invasive species before they firmly establish themselves

💬 One quote: "It would be an extremely costly mistake to regard biological invasions only as someone else’s problem. Risks have global roots but very local impacts, facing people in every country." (Aníbal Pauchard, Concepción University)

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