Kerala State Biodiversity Board submits policy document to mitigate threats due to invasive species

Invasive Alien Species (IAS) are non-native organisms that cause harm to the environment, economy, or human health. In the context of UPSC, IAS are a major driver of biodiversity loss, second only to habitat destruction. The Kerala report highlights specific threats across ecosystems. In inland waters, the Mozambique tilapia has proliferated across rivers and reservoirs, outcompeting native fish. In forest ecosystems, weeds like Chromolaena odorata, Lantana camara, and Mikania micrantha suppress native plant regeneration, altering soil chemistry and ecosystem dynamics. The introduction of these species can be intentional (aquaculture, ornamental trade) or unintentional (ballast water from ships, natural disasters). UPSC often asks to identify invasive species and their ecological impact, making these specific examples highly relevant for Prelims.

The management of biodiversity in India is primarily governed by the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, enacted to meet obligations under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The Act established a three-tier structure: the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA), State Biodiversity Boards (like KSBB), and Biodiversity Management Committees at the local level. However, experts note a significant policy gap regarding IAS. Currently, there is no comprehensive, exclusive national legal framework dedicated to monitoring, quarantine, and eradication of invasive species. The KSBB's policy document and the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI)'s recommendation to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) highlight the need for a unified federal system. For Mains, this underscores challenges in environmental governance—the lack of specific legislative tools limits effective state-level action against transnational and trans-state ecological threats.

The economic ramifications of IAS are substantial but often difficult to quantify precisely. The KSBB report points out that invasive insect pests cause significant agricultural crop damage, directly impacting farmer livelihoods and food security. The cost of eradicating established invasive species is often prohibitively high. The policy suggests a pragmatic approach: economic utilization of IAS where eradication is unfeasible. This could involve using invasive weeds for biomass energy, composting, or small-scale industries, turning an ecological liability into an economic asset. In GS Paper 3 (Agriculture and Environment), understanding the economic burden of IAS and innovative management strategies, such as economic utilization, is crucial for answering questions on sustainable agricultural practices and ecosystem management.