Minister launches third National Status of Biological Invasions in SA programme

Biological invasions need to be treated as an urgent matter as they pose a risk to water security as well as biodiversity, writes Jyothi Laldas.

- Jyothi Laldas

The infiltration of biological invaders poses a significant risk to the water security of South Africa, jeopardising sustainable agriculture, intensifying wildfires, and continuously harming the nation’s distinctive and globally significant biodiversity.

This is according to Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Barbara Creecy, who was speaking during the launch of the third National Status of Biological Invasions and their Management recently.

“We must continue investing in research and innovation, supporting studies that enhance our understanding of invasive species dynamics to improve management strategies. The third National Status report on Biological Invasions serves as a clarion call for action, reminding us of the urgency of the situation and the imperative to act decisively,” said Creecy.

She said the phenomenon was not unique to South Africa, prompting the recent Intergovernmental SciencePolicy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) Invasive Alien Species Assessment to focus on biological invasions.

The third national status programme positions South Africa strategically to align with international efforts guided by the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF). The Bio-Invasion report will also support the implementation of the White Paper on Conservation and Sustainable Use of South Africa’s Biodiversity as well as target six of the GBF factors, which call for the reduction of invasive alien species by 50% by 2030.