Invasive alien species and planetary and global health policy

Comment article. The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) Global Assessment, released in 2019, identified invasive alien species, those introduced by humans into regions beyond their natural distributions, as one of the five top direct drivers of biodiversity loss. Although many cases exist of positive adaptations to the introduction of invasive alien species, they are generally regarded as a severe threat to local ecosystems, wildlife, and human health and overall wellbeing. Once established, efforts to eradicate invasive alien species can raise both public health and ethical concerns because of the unintended effects that control measures can have on the environment and human livelihoods (eg, chemical control and biocontrol agents).