At the request of the CBD, the Group on Earth Observation Biodiversity Observation Network (GEO BON), along with several collaborators, completed an assessment of the adequacy of global observation systems for the purposes of meeting the information needs of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets.

Target 9 for Invasive Alien Species formed part of this assessment, and the summary findings for this Target are that:

• Observations on trends in species extinction risk as a consequence of IAS are available and will be so for 2020 via the IUCN Red List and related Red List Index.
• Some standardized global, regional and national baseline data are available for reporting on the identity, distribution and impact of IAS. These observations need to be repeated to produce trend information and could be expanded to include more countries.
• Trend observation data exist for alien species in Europe, but these are not for ‘priority’ or ‘invasive’ species per se, and are currently not comparable with the global baseline IAS information.
• The many various databases of alien and invasive species that exist were evaluated as part of the 2010 IAS Indicator process and data from these (supported and supplemented by primary literature) were standardised and collated for the purposes of populating the 2010 IAS Indicator (a ‘documented evidence’ approach) (see McGeoch et al. 2012).
• For comparability purposes, a similar process will be required to report on the 2020 target to start to provide globally representative trend data on the identity and distribution of IAS, as well as to expand the global coverage.
• Both the development and population of appropriate observation datasets are required here for adequate reporting on Target 9.
• While the IAS policy indicators from 2010 provide high level information on the intention of the global community and countries to manage the IAS problem, much more direct measures of management implementation and effectiveness are required.
• In summary, it is feasible with moderate effort to generate the additional observation datasets necessary for reporting on the full range of topics in this target between now and 2020.

Source: GEO BON (2011). Target 9 – Control of invasive alien species. In: Adequacy of Biodiversity Observation Systems to support the CBD 2020 Targets. Report prepared by the Group on Earth Observation Biodiversity Observation Network (GEO BON), the IUCN and the World Conservation Monitoring Centre, for the Convention on Biological Diversity, Pretoria, South Africa, pp. 33-35.

Available at: http://www.earthobservations.org/documents/cop/bi_geobon/2011_cbd_adequacy_report.pdf

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