Invasive Alien Species

Forum opens on April 7th

We are pleased to welcome you to the open-ended Online Forum on invasive alien species. Rachel Ariey-Jouglard, from Canada and myself Paulina Stowhas Salinas, from Chile, will help moderate this online forum.

Under topic #2, we hope to get information from you on how we can work together to facilitate collaborative responses to biological invasions and to the threats and impacts of invasive alien species.

Furthermore, we seek your views and experiences with regards to how those collaborative approaches could be integrated with the One Health approach.

The Conference of the Parties recognized the interlinkages between biodiversity and health and the value of the One Health approach to implement the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and its targets (Decision COP15/4).  The One Health Approach is defined, in Decision COP15/29, as: “an integrated, unifying approach that aims to sustainably balance and optimize the health of people, animals and ecosystems. It recognizes the health of humans, domestic and wild animals, plants, and the wider environment (including ecosystems) are closely linked and inter-dependent. The approach mobilizes multiple sectors, disciplines and communities at varying levels of society to work together to foster well-being and tackle threats to health and ecosystems, while addressing the collective need for clean water, energy and air, safe and nutritious food, taking action on climate change, and contributing to sustainable development.”

With this in mind, below are some questions to help stimulate the discussion. Please note that those questions are indicative and are meant to help support the discussion. Views and experiences on the topic that do not specifically answer the questions are also welcome.

We also invite you to ask questions and reply to others to enhance the discussion.

Guiding questions for topic 2

- How does your country or organization work to collaboratively respond to biological invasions and to the impacts of invasive alien species?

- Do you have proposals on how we can better use collaborative integrated approaches to address biological invasions and IAS?

- Do you have proposals or examples on how integrated approaches could be used for addressing biological invasions and invasive alien species? Are there collaborative responses in place in your country or region for addressing IAS? (e.g., incident command systems, MOUs between institutions, coordinating bodies, etc.)

- Are all IAS aspects covered by the different institutions (e.g., through integrated governance)? Has it been challenging to address IAS with sectors that do not have a clear attribution to address IAS (e.g., health, customs, transport, education etc.)?

- How does your Country collaborate with others to prevent or to respond to biological invasions?

- Do governmental or other agencies responsible for implementing the One Health Approach take into account IAS from a public health, animal and plant health perspective?

- Is there work on One Health and IAS, including collaborative approaches to address IAS that could benefit from guidance or other work to be developed under the CBD?

We would like to remind you to please provide your name and the name of your organization at the beginning of your interventions.

Thank you, and we look forward to this discussion.

Paulina and Rachel

NGANONO MAGONGO- MINISTRY OF PUBLIC SERVICE
1. How does your country or organization work to collaboratively respond to biological invasions and to the impacts of invasive alien species?-
Eswatini has put in place environmental Laws and policies that address the prevention, control, and management of IAS. These frameworks are aligned with international agreements, including the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), which Eswatini is a party to.

2. Do you have proposals on how we can better use collaborative integrated approaches to address biological invasions and IAS-

Eswatini can form a multi-sectoral taskforce bringing together representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Tourism and Environmental Affairs, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Natural Resources- Water Affairs department, Academia, NGOs, and the private sector. This bodies would coordinate efforts, standardize approaches, and streamline communication between all actors. The country can also Intensify partnerships with Mozambique, South Africa, and regional institutions (like SADC).

3. Do you have proposals or examples on how integrated approaches could be used for addressing biological invasions and invasive alien species? Are there collaborative responses in place in your country or region for addressing IAS? (e.g., incident command systems, MOUs between institutions, coordinating bodies, etc.)

Yes, here’s are examples and proposals of how integrated approaches can be used to address biological invasions and invasive alien species (IAS), including collaborative frameworks and potential models:

i. Eswatini participates in SADC’s regional biosecurity efforts, particularly through:
 SADC Plant Protection Subcommittee and Livestock Technical Committee
 Shared surveillance information and quarantine protocols for pest outbreaks and plant diseases
 Cross-border initiatives under transfrontier conservation areas like the Lubombo TFCA with Mozambique and South Africa.
ii. The Eswatini Environment Authority (EEA plays a central role in:
 Environmental permitting and regulation of species introduction
 Environmental impact assessments (EIAs) that include IAS risks
 Collaborating with the Department of Forestry, Ministry of Agriculture, Water Affairs and Ministry of Public service.

4. Are all IAS aspects covered by the different institutions (e.g., through integrated governance)? Has it been challenging to address IAS with sectors that do not have a clear attribution to address IAS (e.g., health, customs, transport, education etc.)?
Yes it is, Forestry Department under the Ministry of Tourism and Environmental Affairs (MoTEA) manages invasive plant species in protected and degraded areas. The Ministry of Agriculture addresses invasive pests (e.g. Armyworm) and animal diseases with cross-border potential.

Hello everyone, I'm Zhou Xin, a Ph.D. candidate at Nanjing Agricultural University (China), specializing in the distribution and invasion mechanisms of alien invasive plants. Here is the answer about "How does your country or organization work to collaboratively respond to biological invasions and to the impacts of invasive alien species?"
In China, the prevention and management of invasive alien plants involve multiple government agencies. According to the latest Measures on the Management of Invasive Alien Species and related regulations, the primary responsibilities are allocated as follows:

Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs: Oversees invasive species management in agricultural systems, including maintaining agricultural invasive species lists, conducting risk assessments, monitoring, early warning, and control measures.

Forestry and Grassland Authorities: Manages invasive species in forest and grassland ecosystems, with responsibilities covering list formulation, risk assessment, monitoring, and implementation of control strategies.

Natural Resources Authorities: Participates in invasive species control related to land resource management.

Ecological Environment Authorities: Supervises invasive species in protected natural areas and ecologically sensitive regions, while contributing to nationwide control efforts.

Additionally, an inter-ministerial coordination mechanism has been established among these agencies to address major challenges and ensure effective collaboration. Customs authorities also play a critical role by enforcing port controls to prevent new invasions.

Collectively, these efforts form a comprehensive management framework, spanning from prevention at entry points to monitoring, early warning, and ecological restoration, creating a multi-layered defense system against invasive plants.

Hello, I’m Halley Rose Meslin, I work at the nature conservation charity Fauna & Flora as a Business & Nature Technical Officer and am based in Cambridge, UK. Fauna & Flora, in partnership with IUCN, are launching the Invasive Species Collaborative Initiative that aims to raise business awareness about invasives species, accelerate the adoption of best practices for invasive species management, and facilitate the collaboration of businesses with local communities and other stakeholders across landscapes. We aim to engage businesses, governments, and IPLCs through a series of sector roundtables in 2025 (with a focus on food & agriculture, extractives, tourism, transport, and finance), with insights from the roundtables helping to develop a business call to action report including a compelling business case, sector insights and opportunities, guidance and case studies. Following the roundtables, we will be identifying and supporting demonstration projects in landscapes and across value chains which will test new solutions and collaborations and provide data for further innovation. This will be supported through the development of the Invasive Alien Species Collaboration Fund to direct investment into impactful, scalable projects. Very interested to hear from others about examples of how they are working with businesses in their countries. To learn more or express interest in participating in this initiative, please contact: businessandnature@fauna-flora.org

Hello everyone , I am Nouraldin Shtaya , working Currently at Biodiversity department -Environment Quality Authority  (EQA ) - State of Palestine
- In Palestine works through cooperation among the relevant institutions, such as the Environment Quality Authority and  Ministry of Agriculture, in collaboration with the Customs Police, to primarily control the borders in areas under Palestinian authority ,this aims to prevent the smuggling of birds and animals that are either prohibited for trade or considered invasive alien species.
Efforts also include preventing cross-border transportation, as well as holding numerous training sessions and both in-person and online workshops to raise awareness about invasive alien species and their threat to biodiversity.
Additionally, civil society organizations also play an important role.

-The plan of Environment Quality Authority to Control pathways for the introduction of invasive alien species, preventing, or reducing their rate of introduction and establishment and control or eradicate IAS to eliminate or reduce their impacts, focusing on priority and potential IAS’s and priority sites
Adopting the national strategy on mitigating and combating invasive alien species and its action plans
Targets for Action: 2030: Adopt the plan and implement it resulting in halt of spread of most invasive animal and plant species; 2030: Reverse the trend of presence and spread of any IAS
Indicators: Reports by relevant authorities with documentation for meeting relevant outputs in the national plan
Responsibility: EQA, MOA,
Notes and explanations: Ensure implementation of the national strategy on invasive species
by relevant authorities including EQA, MOA (specifically in nurseries); IAS list should be adopted based on scientific data and updated regularly, the list should prioritize most dangerous species, each species should have specified combating methodologies; Setting strict laws regarding the entry of animals and plants into Palestine without the presence of
studies supporting the entry process..

-Yes, most of the institutions mentioned previously , whether governmental or non-governmental, have studied or addressed the issue of invasive alien species.There is cooperation among these institutions in spreading knowledge and raising awareness.
However, there is a challenge or obstacle related to the cost of control efforts. For example, Palestine and the surrounding region are facing several cases of dangerous invasive alien species.
Acridotheres tristis: The common myna or Indian myna , Cochineal Scale Insect Dactylopius spp  attached specially prickly pear Opuntia ficus indica  , (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) and (Solanum elaeagnifolium)..... etc

- Palestine collaborates with regional and international partners to prevent and respond to biological invasions through several key mechanisms.
First, we actively participate in international conventions and agreements such as the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), which provides a framework for cooperation on the management of invasive alien species.
Additionally, our national institutions—such as the Environmental Quality Authority and the Ministry of Agriculture—work closely with counterparts in neighboring countries and relevant international organizations to share data, best practices, and early warning systems regarding invasive species.

Joint training programs, workshops, and regional forums are also held to build capacity and raise awareness among experts and stakeholders.
Moreover, cooperation at the border level helps in monitoring and controlling the movement of potentially invasive species, often in coordination with international customs and quarantine protocols.
Despite these efforts, the financial and technical challenges remain significant, and more support is needed to enhance cross-border coordination and implement effective long-term control strategies.

Hi Nganono! Thank you very much for this interesting response. The multi-sector task force with the represented ministries is very interesting. Regarding OneHealth, do you have an example you'd like to share with us (or we can review on a website or other) of how the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of the Environment have integrated the One Health approach into the multi-sector task force?

Hello Nouraldin,

Thank you very much for your response. Do you have any examples of the Ministry of Health's involvement in issues related to IAS? This could be with terrestrial IAS (agriculture and food safety, for example), aquatic IAS (water quality for drinking or irrigation), or marine IAS (fishing or safety).

Thank you!

Hello everyone.

From a Canadian perspective, enhancing collaboration amongst federal ministries, as well as with provinces and territories is important in addressing IAS. Canada also recognizes the importance of non-governmental actors in helping address this issue. To develop Canada’s 2030 Nature Strategy (i.e., our NBSAP, which mirrors all KMGBF 23 target), we worked with over 20 federal departments, all provinces and territories. More than 7,500 Canadian individuals and organizations provided answers to a survey or provided written submissions to support the development of Canada’s 2030 Nature Strategy.

At the federal structure, a committee focused on the development and implementation of the KMGBF and Canada’s NBSAP was struck. As such, all ministries involved in the implementation of the KMGBF are aware of each other’s work, including with regards to specific targets. This can help ensure that the approach to and the importance of implementing the KMGBF stays coherent.

With regards to IAS specifically, responsibilities for IAS management in Canada in shared with provinces and territories, underscoring why a whole-of-government approach to addressing T6 is important. For terrestrial species, provinces and territories are the main managers of IAS in Canada. For aquatic species, management is a shared responsibility with provincial and territorial partners. Provinces with fisheries management responsibilities are responsible for the implementation of the Aquatic Invasive Species Regulations within their jurisdiction. Conservation officers from all provinces and territories are cross-designated to enforce the AIS Regulations. Most provinces and territories operate aquatic invasive species programs (and in some cases watercraft inspection programs) within their jurisdictions and collaborate with each other or other federal partners.

Implementation of Target 6 is supported by the federal committee and also relies on structures that existed prior to the KMGBF. For example, there are a few federal-provincial-territorial committees on different topics (e.g., IAS in general, aquatic invasive species, forest pests, use of pesticides). In some cases, for example with regards to legislation on addressing aquatic invasive species, the regulatory listing of species is developed in collaboration with provinces and territories. There can also be collaboration between enforcement agencies on various species. The Canada Border Service Agency, for example, enforces many legislations administered by different departments. Overall, there is no one department that leads on all aspects of IAS managemenr or on all species. Collaboration is key however to learn from best practices. On aquatic invasive species, while there is no Incident Command per se, quick and effective collaboration with the US, federal enforcement agencies and with provinces and territories were set up when threats of biological invasions of zebra mussels were found.

There is also collaboration at the regional level with US and Mexico (e.g. Trilateral agreement, International Joint Commission, and knowledge-sharing opportunities like the North American Invasive Species Forum, which will be taking place virtually from May 13 to May 16 2025). Canada helps advance biological invasion prevention by collaborating on different international forum (e.g., CBD, International Plan Protection Convention, including the International Forest Quarantine Research Group, the International Maritime Organization, including the Ballast Water Convention).
The Government of Japan was and continues to be a leader with regards to IAS, having brought this issue within the G7. Thanks to their efforts, there is now greater collaboration, including through sharing of information and through work relationship, on the issue of IAS. Such work can be an example on how Target 6 implementation provides the opportunity to enhance relationships between countries.

With regards to One Health more specifically, Canada’s approach has been to look at the issue more specifically under Target 5. For example, the federal government and provinces and territories, as well as a non-governmental organization, the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, worked collaboratively to develop the Pan-Canadian Approach to Wildlife Health. The challenge at the moment to implementation this approach is lack of funding.  However, there are a lot of synergies between both Targets as preventing biological invasions, including of pathogens, would support wildlife health. In fact, the Global Action Plan on Biodiversity and Health, adopted in Decision COP16/19 on Biodiversity and Health provides a list of « Actions to ensure biodiversity and health co-benefits, to be implemented taking the One Health and other holistic approaches into consideration”. These can be helpful when trying to frame IAS actions within the One Health approach. Future work from Parties and organizations on the linkages between IAS and One Health could be guided by the questions identified in this Global Action Plan on Biodiversity and Health.

Thanks to the new NBSAP that was developed following the adoption of the KMGBF, there is greater collaboration with the Public Health Agency of Canada, under Health Canada. The Agency’s mandate is to promote health, prevent and control chronic diseases and injuries, prevent and control infectious diseases, and prepare for and respond to public health emergencies. As such, they have promoted the development, uptake, and distribution of education and awareness tools and resources on emerging vector-borne diseases for target audiences, including children and caregivers, outdoor workers, people living in at-risk areas, and Indigenous communities to support early identification and prevention. To support the knowledge to help prevent future biological invasions impacting health, they also administer the Infectious Diseases and Climate Change Fund and have funded studies looking at the health impact of invasive mosquitoes for example.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), which mandate includes food safety, animal health, plant health and international market access and is the lead in Canada under the International Plant Protection Convention, also applies a One Health Approach. In general, collaboration is a key component of the CFIA’s delivery of its mandates. Collaboration occurs on many aspects and with different parties at the domestic or international levels. This includes collaboration with, for example, border services agency, provincial partners, stakeholders, industry, academia and industry. Although aspects related the practical implementation to plant health remains to be developed, the CFIA is applying a One Health approach to many issues encompassed by its mandate in collaboration with its partners in Canada and abroad.

Link to the Canadian Approach to Wildlife Health add https://www.cwhc-rcsf.ca/docs/technical_reports/EN_PanCanadian%20Approach%20to%20Wildlife%20Health%20Final.pdf

Link to COP16/19 decision on Biodiversity and Health https://www.cbd.int/doc/decisions/cop-16/cop-16-dec-19-en.pdf

Link to all CBD COP decisions on biodiversity and health: https://www.cbd.int/health/decisions.shtml

Link to Infectious Diseases and Climate Change Fund webpage:  https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/funding-opportunities/infectious-diseases-climate-change-fund.html

Andy Sheppard CSIRO AUSTRALIA

In Australia the federal government has responsibility for the borders and the States and Territories for post-border management in a highly collaborative context driven through a cross-jurisdictional National Biosecurity Committee. Industry is supported by two public-private NGOs Plant Health Australia and Animal Health Australia with the environment largely publicly supported by Wildlife Health Australia and the Centre for Invasive Species Solutions.  IAS management is supported by two national strategies (Australian Weeds Strategy and the Vertebrate Pest Strategy) and a number of target specific National Action/Control plans.

The overarching approach to IAS prevention and preparedness, be it in the context of agricultural production, trade and the environment is through four collective national planning agreements a) ANIMALPLAN (https://www.agriculture.gov.au/agriculture-land/animal/health/animal-plan);  b) PLANTPLAN (https://www.planthealthaustralia.com.au/response-arrangements/plantplan/), c) AQUAPLAN (https://www.agriculture.gov.au/agriculture-land/animal/aquatic/aquaplan) and d) NEBRA (https://www.agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity-trade/policy/emergency/nebra)..  These agreements include “response agreements” that lay out both the ongoing priorities under each sector and response planning to ensure “who leads?” and “who pays?" does not delay EDRR. Individual biological threats are pre-categorised on likely level of impact geographically and on and by industry to pre-define who pays. Generally. EDRR is led by the affected State or Territory via an incident command system approach with collaboration across states, relevant industries and community. By signing up to these agreement industries are entitled to compensation for losses resulting from the response. 

International collaboration in the Oceania region is strong with strategies, agreements and collaborations with most neighbouring countries (e.g. Pacific biosecurity strategy https://www.agriculture.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/pacific-biosecurity-strategy.pdf)

In Australia, as in most countries, One Health remains more a coordinating principle that a national investment strategy. One Health application here is largely restricted to zoonotic disease threat management.  Agriculture policy is focussed on One Health from an animal trade perspective given Australia exports most Ag production to ensure Australia remains disease free to access high value markets. Health policy only started to focus on a One Health approach post COVID-19, with the instigation of an Australian Centre for Disease Control (https://www.cdc.gov.au/), but this is very much in the early stages. H5N1 high path avian influenza national response is really the first example of Agriculture, Environment and Health Departments working together in One Health threat management and has led to the first generalised but probably short-lived national investment in wildlife health. Generally, IAS management here remains peripheral if complementary to One Health as the case for broader investment lacks political necessity.

Hello,

I wish to add a bit more details pertaining to two specific federal ministries under the Government of Canada, namely Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), which provide scientific expertise on forest pests, and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) which deals with aquatic invasive species.

Question: How does your country or organization work to collaboratively respond to biological invasions and to the impacts of invasive alien species?
- NRCan strives for research excellence and provides national leadership to advance risk-based forest pest management policies and practices (including forest IAS) through various forums and advisory roles. For example:
o The Canadian Council of Forest Ministers’ Forest Pest Working Group provides a national forum that advanced the development of a national risk analysis framework for pest management, and several invasive species risk analyses that have been guiding pest risk management decisions across jurisdictions.
+ NRCan hosts the Forest Pest Management Forum, an annual event that brings together pest managers, foresters, and researchers from across Canada to discuss current pest issues and the latest scientific findings, and to advance partnerships, collaboration, and synergies.
+ NRCan is also one of the creators of the Invasive Species Centre, co-located at the Great lakes Forestry Centre in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. The Centre is a leader in invasive species science support, education, and action in Ontario and beyond.
+ It is also worth mentioning that NRCan participates in other important national forums such as the Canadian Plant Health Council and Invasive Alien Species National Committee to advance collaboration and best practices in invasive species risk management and priorities outlines in the Plant and Animal Health Strategy for Canada.

+ The scientific advice provided by NRCan experts is instrumental to forest management and regulatory agencies, landowners and foresters across Canada. Scientific knowledge and tools are transfers to end users through a multitude of panels and channels
+ Pest-specific science committees such as the Asian Longhorn Beetle Science committee that informed the eradication programs for this pest in Ontario.
+ NRCan also works with partners and stakeholders to promote the development of international plant health standards of importance to forestry and support their acceptance and implementation globally. Adherence to these standards by our partners reduces the likelihood of introducing invasive species.
+ NRCan experts also participate in emergency response exercises that facilitate capacity building for invasive species emergency management. Their scientific perspective help assess the effectiveness of emergency response plans and protocols.

Question: Do you have proposals on how we can better use collaborative integrated approaches to address biological invasions and IAS?
- Internationally coordinated approaches and legislations are needed to prevent the intentional or unintentional trade of high-risk aquatic invasive species globally (e.g., the trade of known high-risk species could be banned by convention, similar to the banning of persistent organic pollutants under the Stockholm Convention)


Question: Do you have proposals or examples on how integrated approaches could be used for addressing biological invasions and invasive alien species? Are there collaborative responses in place in your country or region for addressing IAS? (e.g., incident command systems, MOUs between institutions, coordinating bodies, etc.

- NRCan participates in three Critical Plant Pest Management Committees, established through MOUs with key federal and provincial government departments and agencies involved in plant health protection, in order to create a governance structure and process for joint information exchange, decision-making and action in the event of the introduction of a ‘Critical Plant Pest’ in the jurisdiction (i.e., Province) in question.
+ An example is the British Columbia Plant Protection Advisory Council (BCPPAC), which consists of federal, provincial, industrial, academic, and regional partners, as required. BCPPAC addresses plant health and plant quarantine issues and coordinates activities, including communication, should a pest be deemed critical. Working with technical advisory committees, they guide the Critical Plant Pest Management Committee, which develops response plans specific to the pest of concern, e.g., spongy moth. They have also developed a Plant Health Emergency Manual to supplement existing procedures for prompt and effective action.

- The National Aquatic Invasive Species Committee (NAISC), co-chaired by DFO, provides a forum for federal-provincial-territorial coordination on AIS, and for reporting to the Canadian Council of Fisheries and Aquaculture Ministers (CCFAM).
- DFO has used the Incident Command System to respond to invasions of aquatic invasive species. For example, in 2021, ICS was used to coordinate a national response between DFO, provinces, and other federal agencies to respond to the invasion of Zebra Mussel infested moss balls.
- Response plans are developed jointly between DFO and other organizations (for example, provinces, invasive species councils, etc.).

Links:
Forest Pest Working Group: https://www.ccfm.org/healthy-forests/natural-disturbances/
British Columbia Plant Protection Advisory Council: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/industry/agriculture-seafood/animals-and-crops/plant-health/invasive-pests-and-biosecurity/bcppac
Forest Pest Management Forum: https://natural-resources.canada.ca/forest-forestry/insects-disturbances/national-forest-pest-management-forum
Invasive Species Centre:
Canadian Plant Health Council: https://www.canada.ca/en/food-inspection-agency/news/2018/10/canadian-plant-health-council-launched.html
Plant and Animal Strategy for Canada: https://inspection.canada.ca/en/about-cfia/partnerships/plant-and-animal-health-strategy

Good afternoon, everyone from Cuba. I wanted to share some of the experiences and solutions we've found regarding invasive alien species that have arrived in our country, whether intentionally or unintentionally, for example:

- The arrival of lionfish on Cuban coasts, competing with our lobsters' habitat. In this regard, an intensive outreach campaign was carried out to ensure safe fishing due to the species' characteristics and reduce its population in the marine environment. This also constitutes a food source for coastal communities. Today, the species' populations remain under control.
- Following the unintentional introduction of the Perna viridis species into one of Cuba's bays, an awareness campaign was also carried out to promote fishing and the use of its shell to create highly useful and beautiful handcrafted products. In this case, the survey studies conducted confirmed that the species has served as a substrate for other marine species. The only negative finding was that the mussel had entered the cooling channels of a thermoelectric plant, resulting in high costs for its control and elimination.
- The introduction in Cuba more than a century ago of the species Dichrostachys cinérea (Marabú) resulted in the dissemination of the plant in large extensions of arable lands with serious difficulties for its elimination. For several years, the plant has been used to produce charcoal, which is exported to Europe, generating economic benefits and providing employment for the workers involved in the process.
- Creation of a multidisciplinary group comprised of authorities from the Ministries of Public Health, Agriculture, and Science, Technology, and Environment to control an avian influenza outbreak caused by the presence of migratory birds (exotic species) that nest in Cuba for a short period of time.
- Since September 2022, intensive work has been carried out to control and eliminate the invasive marine species Unomia stolonifera, due to the danger it poses to the health and conservation of the biodiversity of our coral reefs, taking into account our island nature. Thanks to the collaboration between Cuban and Venezuelan specialists, it was possible to identify the species and the most appropriate measures for its eradication, an activity that is very difficult to carry out due to the conditions of the marine environment and the highly expensive resources required to access its habitat.

Greetings and thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences as well.

Dear all,
My name is Kevin Smith Head of Programme Invasive Species and Wildlife Health for IUCN. While we aren’t a party I think it may be useful to share some of the work IUCN has done to support collaboration on IAS into a One Health approach.

Firstly for COP 16, the IUCN SSC Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG) and IUCN in collaboration with members of the Inter-Agency Liaison Group produced a report shared as an Information Document (https://www.cbd.int/conferences/2024/cop-16/documents) on how approaches for the prevention, control and management of invasive alien species may be usefully applied to biological invasions of pathogenic agents, in particular zoonotic pathogens. This report identified the important potential role that IAS play in zoonotic spill over events, and identified opportunities and priority actions to mitigate these risks through a collaborative one health approach. These included:
• the need for interdisciplinary research to help identify and manage risks related to IAS,
• the need for monitoring and surveillance and risk analysis that cover IAS and their health, and emerging infectious diseases,
• for biosecurity practices to consider risks to health of wildlife, agriculture and humans posed by IAS
• data mobilisation, guidance and tools to support the prioritisation of IAS based on risk of pathogen spillover
 
IUCN and its SSC Wildlife Health Specialist Group have also worked with the World Organisation of Animal Health (WOAH) to produce guidance for the surveillance of diseases, pathogens and toxic agents in free-ranging wildlife (https://www.woah.org/en/document/general-guidelines-for-surveillance-of-diseases-pathogens-and-toxic-agents-in-free-ranging-wildlife/ also attached to this message). These guidelines provide a framework for taking a one health collaborative approach to develop a wildlife health surveillance programme in order to inform conservation action but also to identify pathogen spillover risk to domestic animals and humans. While this guidance is not focused on IAS, it is important that IAS are included in wildlife health surveillance programmes and identified as being alien as responses will differ when compared to native species.

Given that many IAS are also harvested and traded, it is also worth highlighting additional recent guidance from WOAH on addressing disease risks in wildlife trade (https://www.woah.org/app/uploads/2024/05/wildlife-trade-guidelines.pdf)

Many thanks
Kevin

Dear Halley,
Thank you for your comment. I was wondering if you have reviewed the Annex I Voluntary Guidelines for Preventing the Unintentional Introduction of Invasive Alien Species Associated with Trade in Living Organisms, related to Target 6.
This guide may be helpful.
Cheers
Paulina

Hi everyone. My name is Sergio Benavides, from the Ministry of the Environment, Chile.

In Chile, the collaborative response to biological invasions has been strengthened through the Operational Committee for the Prevention, Control and Eradication of Invasive Alien Species (COCEI), an inter-institutional body that brings together various public agencies with competencies in animal and plant health, biodiversity, enforcement, education and environmental management. This committee has enabled coordination between sectors that traditionally have not worked together, facilitating the development of protocols, action plans and response mechanisms to combat IAS. Through this integrated governance framework, the National Strategy for the Prevention, Control and Eradication of Invasive Alien Species has been developed, and collaborative management initiatives have been implemented in protected areas and ecologically valuable zones, involving NGOs, academia and local communities. However, challenges remain related to the overlapping and dispersed mandates of agencies, as well as the integration of other sectors with indirect links to the issue.

This experience provides a concrete example of how it is possible to move towards a more integrated governance approach, in line with the principles of the One Health framework. Although this approach is not yet institutionalised in the management of IAS in Chile, there are clear opportunities for its adoption - particularly given the risks that IAS pose to human, animal and plant health. Coordination with the health and public health sectors could be strengthened through more explicit cooperation frameworks, including common indicators and protocols for surveillance and response. Strengthening technical capacity and developing guidance under the CBD could be key to accelerating this integration and enabling more effective and sustainable collaborative responses.

A tangible example of this collaboration is that, during the pandemic, a collaborative exercise led by the Ministry of the Environment and the University of O'Higgins coordinated the Agricultural and Livestock Service (Public Service) and academics to study samples of native and invasive exotic species to assess the presence of COVID. The study can be viewed here: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01652176.2023.2164909#abstract

Dear colleagues,

I am Johanna Niemivuo-Lahti, Senior Ministerial Adviser, representing the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry in Finland. Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry is responsible for the overall coordination of invasive alien species matters, including the IAS legislation development and implementation in Finland, and I would be happy to share our views on information and experiences on approaches that can be taken to facilitate a collaborative response to biological invasions and the threats and impacts of invasive alien species, and how those individual approaches could be integrated into the One Health approach.

As already described under the Topic 1, Finland, as the Member State of the European Union EU, has an EU-wide IAS legislation since 2015 to implement, including the EU IAS list to prioritize the actions to the most harmful IAS. The EU IAS legislation covers strict restrictions on intentional activities; IAS that are listed are not to be imported into the EU, kept, bred, grown, sold, transported or released into the environment.

Awareness rising of these specific IAS management tools and actions is the key for the management. In Finland our national IAS web portal site https://vieraslajit.fi/  includes all information available on management about each IAS: All Information on invasive alien species in Finland has been compiled on the this website.

1: How does your country or organization work to collaboratively respond to biological invasions and to the impacts of invasive alien species? – 2: Do you have proposals or examples on how integrated approaches could be used for addressing biological invasions and invasive alien species? Are there collaborative responses in place in your country or region for addressing IAS? (e.g., incident command systems, MOUs between institutions, coordinating bodies, etc.) – 3: Are all IAS aspects covered by the different institutions (e.g., through integrated governance)? Has it been challenging to address IAS with sectors that do not have a clear attribution to address IAS (e.g., health, customs, transport, education etc.)? – 4: How does your Country collaborate with others to prevent or to respond to biological invasions?

The prevention of invasive alien species is the most effective when it takes place in cooperation between different authorities, operators and private people.
In Finland our IAS legislation is implemented by several actors, in collaboration to respond to biological invasions and to the impacts of invasive alien species: our national IAS legislation in Finland lays down all those responsible actors and their tasks to implement IAS legislation in Finland; Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry is responsible for coordinating IAS issues in Finland at the Governmental level, but also steers and monitors the enforcement of the Act in cooperation with the Ministry of Transport and Communications and Ministry of the Environment. Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment is responsible for controlling the compliance with the EU IAS Regulation and the national Act, and decides on the application of rapid eradication measures. Customs controls the importation in the Finnish borders. Regional State Administrative Agency for Southern Finland acts as the permit authority and is responsible for the control of the specified permits. Natural Resources Institute Finland takes care of the monitoring of alien species and provides information for the control of IAS, coordinates data collection from other data producers and produces data content for the IAS monitoring system, addresses warnings from the monitoring system about early detection of IAS and assesses whether eradication of the species would be necessary. The Finnish Environment Institute produces the necessary expert services for the enforcement of the IAS Act, especially ensures the identification of alien species on the EU list with the assistance of Customs. Finnish Wildlife Agency produces the necessary expert services for the enforcement of the IAS Act, especially manages the public administration duties under the Hunting Act related to IAS Act.

National IAS Act includes also other shared responsibilities regulated: Responsibilities to landowners includes the obligation to manage IAS present on their premises: reasonable measures should be taken to eradicate or contain an invasive alien species included in the EU list or of national concern present in the property, if the presence or spreading of the invasive alien species may cause significant damage to biodiversity or danger to health or safety. The provisions do not apply to birds or mammals. According to the IAS Act the responsibilities also to operators include the obligation to prevent unintentional spreading of IAS.

One example of the coordinating bodies in Finland is the Finnish Advisory Board for Invasive Alien Species serving as our national expert body – including about 30 different national actors, authorities and stakeholders - since 2013. The Finnish Advisory Board for Invasive Alien Species, appointed by the Council of State, is Finland’s national expert body in all different matters concerning invasive alien species. Its key tasks include following the implementation of the invasive alien species legislation and awareness raising of the impacts and management measures concerning invasive alien species: It is tasked with promoting, monitoring and developing the implementation of the EU and national legislation on invasive alien species and diverse communication that reaches the different target groups on matters related to invasive alien species.

Awareness rising is the key cornerstone for the collaborative actions to combat IAS. Information on invasive alien species in Finland - to be used by private people but also by all governmental actors, authorities and stakeholders - has been compiled on the vieraslajit.fi website. The website helps to identify and combat invasive alien species and collect sightings of these, including for monitoring the species and for research. The website contains information on the legislation related to the prevention of invasive alien species and on the management plans.

The purpose of the national management plans is to target the prevention of harmful invasive alien species to certain priority areas where effective means are used to prevent the species. All plans include prevention measures for specific species and designate all the different parties, actors, authorities and stakeholders needed for the collaboration and cooperation on these. Management plans have been drawn up for all species included in the lists of species of national and Union concern.

The IAS website also includes compiled suggested useful measures to support the prevention and control of invasive alien species in Finnish municipalities. The purpose of the toolbox is to help municipalities and cities launch or develop regional IAS activities, either independently or in collaboration with local citizens, associations, companies or neighbour municipalities.


5: Do governmental or other agencies responsible for implementing the One Health Approach take into account IAS from a public health, animal and plant health perspective? – 6: Is there work on One Health and IAS, including collaborative approaches to address IAS that could benefit from guidance or other work to be developed under the CBD?

For the One Health Approach the Finnish national IAS website Vieraslajit.fi includes widely also information on IAS as plant pests, including national authorities contact information. The regulated plants pests include quarantine plant pests and quality plant pests: Quarantine plant pests must not occur in plant production, plants for sale or import, green areas or forests, and as quality plant pest must not occur in plants for sale, there are requirements also during production. Plant growers and sellers are mainly responsible for controlling quality plant pests, and the public authorities will order elimination measures for quarantine plant pests. Observations of the quarantine pests and diseases should be reported to the Finnish Food Authority according to eg. protective measures against pests of plants.

The zoonotic approach is more widely informed in the Zoonosis Centre (consisting of experts from the Finnish Food Authority and the National Institute for Health and Welfare) which is to ensure the effective and continuous collaboration between surveillance and research activities in monitoring and preventing infectious diseases that spread between animals and people. The Centre coordinates the monitoring of zoonoses, foodborne outbreaks, and antimicrobial resistance as well as compiles the results. In case of the zoonoses, the research includes both the wild species as well as several IAS.

Thank you, Paulina. This is very helpful, indeed.