Nations should avoid planting biofuel crops that have a high risk of becoming invasive species, a report warns.

- 21 / 05 / 2008 15:56

A study by the Global Invasive Species Programme (GISP) said only a few countries have systems in place to assess the risk or contain an outbreak.

It has listed all the crops used to produce biofuels, and urged governments to only select low-risk varieties.

The global cost of tackling invasive species costs $1.4 trillion (£700bn) each year, the report estimates.

"Many countries are currently looking at growing high-yielding crops for the production of biofuels to address imminent energy shortages and reduce the impact of climate change," the report's authors wrote.

"This usually involves the importation of foreign (alien) species of plants that are known for their fast and productive growth.

"If these initiatives are not carefully assessed, however, the cultivation of some popular species will increase two of the major causes of biodiversity loss: clearing and conversion of yet more natural areas for monocultures, and invasion by non-native species."

The Guardian