The Astonishing Impact of Invasive Species: Unveiling the Top 10 Widespread Culprits and their Astronomical Financial Toll

Around 37,000 invasive species have been identified worldwide. According to a groundbreaking report by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), a division of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), these species cause governments to incur damages and control costs of at least $423 billion annually. The report, published in 2019, acknowledges that this estimate is conservative, as approximately 200 new invasive species are discovered each year.

The report reveals that only 55% of countries invest in managing biological invasions. While 80% of countries include targets related to managing invasive alien species in their national biodiversity plans, only 17% have specific laws or regulations addressing these issues.

IPBES emphasizes that the global threat posed by invasive species is often underestimated and underappreciated. The report, compiled by 86 experts from 49 countries over a five-year period and with over 13,000 references, is the most comprehensive assessment ever conducted on invasive alien species worldwide.

Invasive species are considered new to a particular ecosystem or region, but they manage to proliferate and expand their range by outcompeting native species, resulting in detrimental effects. These species, including plants, animals, and microbes, primarily spread through global trade and human travel, either intentionally or accidentally.

Scientific studies indicate that invasive species, facilitated by climate change, play a significant role in global extinctions. Invertebrates make up 22% of the assessed invasive species, followed by vertebrates (14%), microbes (11%), and plants (6%). The negative impacts vary depending on the environment and region, but the following ten species are among the most prevalent worldwide.