Topic: 2025-Regulating Invasive Species
Country: Vietnam
Delegate Name: Abigail Strazisar
Vietnam struggles with many prominent invasive species, an issue that has been ongoing for years. Some examples of invasive species include Golden Apple Snails and Khapra Beetles. Both species directly affect economic income sources, such as rice crops and other crucial farms contributing to the country’s overall financial well-being.
The impact that invasive species have goes beyond just crops. Whether intentional or not, the spread of invasive species typically comes from transatlantic trade. Many of the specimens spread unintentionally and end up finding themselves in places they aren’t supposed to be, such as large farms or protected land. These specimens also typically come with various diseases and unwanted sicknesses that can spread to the local wildlife and massively affect the interactions and balance between nature.
Vietnam has taken action against these threats by collaborating with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to target select forests and find ways to extract invasive species from the environment. This collaboration also works to introduce policies that will further protect the environment from such invasive species and keep the ecosystems functioning healthily and as they should.
The initiative lasted about 5 years (2011-2016), which gave plenty of time to experiment and control wildlife throughout the country.
Thanks to the work of CABI and various other teams throughout Vietnam, the threat of invasive species has been lessened. There are also more protections in place will will stand to keep this initiative running and saving our resources for generations to come.
Citations:
“An Overview of Two Invasive Species and National Response in Viet Nam.” FAO, 24 Jun. 2002, www.fao.org/4/ag117e/AG117E12.htm. Accessed 14 Feb. 2025.
“Managing Invasive Species in Selected Forest Ecosystems of South East Asia.” CABI, 30 Sept. 2016, www.cabi.org/projects/managing-invasive-species-in-selected-forest-ecosystems-of-south-east-asia/. Accessed 14 Feb. 2025.
