Invasive Alien Species Assessment now available

Updated 25 February 2024: the full laid-out report is now available in English, including all chapters, facts, and figures.

IPBES has launched it latest publication: the Assessment Report on Invasive Alien Species and their Control.

Invasive alien species are one of the five major direct drivers of biodiversity loss globally – the others being changes in land and sea use, climate change, pollution, and direct exploitation of natural resources: see UNEP for an illustrated summary that draws on the earlier IPBES Global Assessment Report.

As the Co-Chairs explained, alien species are animals, plants, and other organisms that have been introduced by human activities to new regions. Invasive alien species are a subset of alien species, known to have established and spread with negative impacts on nature and people.

Human activity has introduced over 37,000 established alien species worldwide, of which 3,500 are invasive. Invasive alien species change ecosystems, compete with native species, and prey on them. They also negatively impact on human economies, food and water security, health, and cultural identities.

While humans have facilitated and often caused these problems, we also have solutions: the Co-Chairs highlighted prevention and preparedness as the most cost-effective options – and controlling invasive alien species as an attainable goal, with significant benefits for people and nature.

Today's report is the culmination of four years of work by 86 nominated experts from 47 countries, about 200 contributing authors, and many more supporters. For this assessment, the experts and authors have reviewed over 13,000 sources. At today's media launch, the Co-Chairs also stressed the invaluable insights contributed by indigenous and local communities, who have often been disproportionately affected by invasive alien species.

>> Download the full media presentation (pdf, 4.95 MB)

You can watch a full recording of the media launch on @ipbeschannel. For the full media release see the IPBES website. For photographs of the event see the Earth Negotiations Bulletin.

And why not show your support for IPBES with an #InvasiveAlienSpecies poster or themed virtual background? For your free copy, click here!

Update 11th Sept 2023: The teaser trailer is now available on @ipbeschannel, in English, Spanish, and French.

Update 16th Oct 2023: The laid-out version of the summary of the report for policy makers is now available on Zenodo.

Update 2nd Nov 2023: The full report is now available on the IPBES website.

For an overview of IPBES publications, materials, and projects on invasive alien species, see our dedicated page.