Invasive Alien Species

Invasive Alien Species // Guiding Principles for the prevention, introduction and mitigation of impacts of alien species that threaten ecosystems, habitats or species
Wednesday // 11.27.2024

GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR THE PREVENTION, INTRODUCTION AND MITIGATION OF IMPACTS OF ALIEN SPECIES THAT THREATEN ECOSYSTEMS, HABITATS OR SPECIES

This section provides all Governments and organizations with guidance for developing effective strategies to minimize the spread and impact of invasive alien species.

While each country faces unique challenges and will need to develop context-specific solutions, the Guiding Principles (decision VI/23) give governments clear direction and a set of goals to aim toward. The extent to which these Principles can be implemented ultimately depends on available resources. Their purpose is to assist governments to combat invasive alien species as an integral component of conservation and economic development. Because these 15 principles are non-binding, they can be more readily amended and expanded through the Convention on Biological Diversity's processes as we learn more about this problem and its effective solutions.

While applying these Guiding Principles, due consideration must be given to the fact that ecosystems are dynamic over time and so the natural distribution of species might vary without involvement of a human agent. A summary of the information contained in the guiding principles is presented here below.

GENERAL

GP 1 Precautionary approach: Given the unpredictability of the pathways and impacts on biological diversity of invasive alien species, efforts to identify and prevent unintentional introductions as well as decisions concerning intentional introductions should be based on the precautionary approach.

GP 2 Three-stage hierarchical approach: Prevention is the most cost effective measure to address invasive alien species. If prevention is not possible then eradication/containment/ long term control measures should be implemented.

GP 3 Ecosystem approach: Measures to deal with invasive alien species should, as appropriate, be based on the ecosystem approach.

GP 4 The role of States: States should recognize the risk that activities within their jurisdiction or control may pose to other States as a potential source of invasive alien species and should take appropriate individual and cooperative actions to minimize that risk.

GP 5 Research and monitoring: To develop an adequate knowledge base to address the problem, it is important that States undertake research on and monitoring of invasive alien species.

PREVENTION

GP 6 Education and public awareness: States should promote education and public awareness of the causes of invasion and the risks associated with the introduction of alien species.

GP 7 Border control and quarantine measures: States should implement border controls and quarantine measures for alien species that are or could become invasive.

GP 8 Exchange of information: States should assist in the development of an inventory and synthesis of relevant databases, including taxonomic and specimen databases, and the development of information systems for compilation and dissemination of information on alien species.

GP 9 Cooperation, including capacity-building: Depending on the situation, a State's response might be purely internal (within the country), or may require a cooperative effort between two or more countries.

INTRODUCTION OF SPECIES

GP 10 Intentional introductions: Decisions concerning intentional introductions should be based on the precautionary approach, including within a risk analysis framework.

GP 11 Unintentional introductions: All States should have in place provisions to address unintentional introductions.

MITIGATION OF IMPACTS

GP 12 Mitigation of impacts: Once the establishment of an invasive alien species has been detected, States, individually and cooperatively, should take appropriate steps such as eradication, containment and control, to mitigate adverse effects.

GP 13 Eradication: Where it is feasible, eradication is often the best course of action to deal with the introduction and establishment of invasive alien species.

GP 14 Containment: limiting the spread (containment) of invasive alien species is often an appropriate strategy in cases where the range of the organisms or of a population is small enough to make such efforts feasible.

GP 15 Control: Control measures should focus on reducing the damage caused as well as reducing the number of the invasive alien species.