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Global Costs of Invasive Species
Context:
A new study in Nature Ecology & Evolution has estimated that invasive alien plants and animals have caused over $2.2 trillion in global economic losses, with India showing the highest underreporting in management costs.
Economic Impact:
- Global cost of biological invasions: $2.2 trillion (1960–2022).
- Europe bears the highest cost (~$1.5 trillion, 71.45% of global total).
- India’s management expenditure discrepancy is the highest (1.16 billion %), indicating severe underreporting.
Invasive Species with Highest Costs:
- Plants: $926.38 billion.
- Arthropods: $830.29 billion.
- Mammals: $263.35 billion.
- Examples:Japanese knotweed (Reynoutria japonica) and Lantana camara are among the most costly to manage.
Drivers of Invasion:
- Trade, travel, globalisation, and import of living organisms.
- Agricultural crops themselves are often non-native, complicating management.
Control Measures & International Frameworks:
- Ballast Water Management Convention (International Maritime Organization): prevents spread of harmful aquatic organisms.
- Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD): obliges member states (including India) to prevent, control, or eradicate alien invasive species.
Challenges for India:
- Lack of centralized database and inter-agency coordination.
- Limited resources and competing conservation priorities.
- Significant “hidden” costs due to poor documentation and underreporting.
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