Invasive Alien Species (IAS) are species introduced into new habitats where they thrive and threaten biodiversity, including agricultural and domestic species and wildlife. Threats include competition for food, the spread of disease and predators. Species that are in balance for one environment can become invasive in other habitats. Trade is one of the main pathways of IAS introductions into new habitats.
Seminar on International Trade and Invasive Alien Species - 2012
The STDF, in collaboration with the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), organized a Seminar on International Trade and Invasive Alien Species (IAS) in Geneva on 12-13 July 2012.
The seminar sought to:
raise awareness about the mutually beneficial goals of the SPS Agreement and Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), and the contribution of effective SPS systems to help protect against the entry of harmful species, including pests, diseases and other IAS
foster collaboration between the SPS and the CBD "communities" at both regional and national levels; and
review initiatives that aim to build national and/or regional capacities to manage the entry and spread of IAS, including pests and diseases, and discuss common challenges, good practices, and additional capacity building efforts required (e.g. needs assessments, pest risk analysis (PRA), surveillance, development of training toolkits and materials, etc.)
Click here to view the workshop programme, as well as the presentations and speeches delivered.
STDF Briefing Note on Invasive Alien Species
This Briefing note summarizes the key findings and conclusions of a seminar on International Trade and Invasive Alien Species organized by the STDF on 12-13 July 2012 at the WTO. The seminar was attended by over 100 experts and sough to raise awareness about the mutually supportive objectives of the WTO SPS Agreement and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), and the contribution of effective SPS control systems to help protect against the entry of harmful species, including pests, diseases and other IAS.
STDF Publication on International Trade and Invasive Alien Species
|This study reviews and analyses key concepts and principles relevant to Invasive Alien Species (IAS) and international trade in the context of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the SPS Agreement, as well as in relation to the IPPC and the OIE. It also considers various initiatives to enhance capacities for managing the entry and spread of IAS (including plant pests and animal diseases), reviews common challenges and good practices, and makes a number of targeted recommendations.|