70 years of International Plant Protection Convention

Summary

The International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) is a crucial intergovernmental treaty with 84 countries, aimed at safeguarding global plant resources against pests and facilitating safe trade. As international travel and trade surge, the risk of invasive species increases, impacting food security and the environment. The IPPC's mission is vital in minimizing pest spread, ensuring food security, protecting the environment, and promoting economic growth through harmonized measures. The Secretary emphasizes the IPPC's commitment to global plant health amid challenges like COVID-19, climate change, and food supply disruptions.

Takeaways

• 📜 The International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) is an intergovernmental treaty with 84 Contracting Parties aimed at protecting plant resources globally.
• 🌐 The IPPC uses International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPMs) as its main tools to prevent the spread of pests and facilitate safe trade.
• 🌍 The Commission on Phytosanitary Measures (CPM) is the governing body of the IPPC and is also a statutory body of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
• 📈 The relevance of the IPPC has increased due to the growth in international travel, trade, and human population, leading to a higher risk of pest introduction and spread.
• 🌿 Climate change is creating new habitats for alien species, impacting native species and ecosystems, and posing a risk to food security and economies.
• 🚫 The regulation of plant and plant product movement is crucial to reduce the risks associated with invasive species.
• 💔 Up to 40% of global food crops are lost annually to plant pests and diseases, resulting in significant trade losses and contributing to global hunger.
• 🌱 The IPPC's vision is to minimize the spread of plant pests and manage their impacts within countries effectively.
• 🛑 The overarching goal of the IPPC is to ensure all countries can implement measures to reduce pest spread and its impact on food security, trade, economic growth, and the environment.
• 🌐 The current global challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, and food supply chain disruptions, underscore the importance of the IPPC's mission.
• 🤝 The Secretary of the IPPC is committed to working with regional and national plant protection organizations to protect plant resources and promote plant health globally.

Q & A

What is the primary purpose of the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC)?

The primary purpose of the IPPC is to protect the world's plant resources by preventing the introduction and spread of pests and to facilitate safe trade.

How many Contracting Parties or countries are part of the IPPC?

There are 84 Contracting Parties or countries that are part of the IPPC.

What are the main tools used by the IPPC to achieve its goals?

The main tools used by the IPPC to achieve its goals are the International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPMs).

What is the role of the Commission on Phytosanitary Measures (CPM) in the IPPC?

The CPM serves as the governing body of the IPPC and is also a statutory body of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

Why is the IPPC more relevant today than ever before?

The IPPC is more relevant today due to increased international travel and trade, the growth of the human population, and the effects of climate change on the environment, which provide new habitats for alien species.

What is the impact of pests and invasive species on global food crops?

Up to 40 percent of global food crops are lost each year due to plant pests and diseases, resulting in trade losses exceeding 220 million dollars annually in agricultural products.

How has the increase in international trade and human population dynamics affected the spread of alien species?

The cumulative records of alien species have increased by 40 percent since 1980, associated with increased trade and human population dynamics and trends.

What is the vision of the IPPC regarding the spread of plant pests?

The IPPC's vision is that the spread of plant pests is minimized and their impacts within countries are effectively managed.

What are the three main strategic objectives of the IPPC?

The three main strategic objectives of the IPPC are to enhance global food security and increase sustainable agriculture productivity, protect the environment from the impacts of plant pests, and facilitate safe trade development and economic growth.

How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected the relevance of the IPPC's mission?

The global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, along with the impact of climate change and disruption in the food supply chain, has highlighted the profound consequences on food security and safe trade, making the IPPC's mission even more relevant.

What is the commitment of the Secretary of the IPPC to the organization and its mission?

The Secretary of the IPPC is committed to working together with regional and national plant protection organizations to continue protecting the world's plant resources from pests and supporting the work of the IPPC, recognizing its crucial relevance to promoting plant health globally.