Invasive Species Identified as Primary Cause of Global Biodiversity Decline, New UN Report Concludes
A comprehensive report released this morning by the United Nations Environment Programme has formally identified invasive species as the primary driver of biodiversity loss across major ecosystems worldwide. The study, compiled over three years by a coalition of international biologists and ecologists, analyzed data from 190 countries. Researchers found that non-native plants, animals, and pathogens now cost the global economy an estimated $423 billion annually, through damage to agriculture, forestry, and fisheries. The report calls for immediate, coordinated international action to establish stricter biosecurity protocols, particularly at major shipping ports and airports, which serve as the most common entry points for these organisms.