The global demand for sand is growing rapidly due to the construction industry keeping pace with urbanization, putting many ecosystems and local communities at risk, according to a report by the United Nations (UN) released on Tuesday.
Approximately 50 billion tonnes of sand are used every year in the construction sector and other applications, with demand expected to double by 2060 if current trends continue – a faster rate than stock replenishment.
The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) report highlights that sand is the most exploited natural resource after water, mostly unregulated.
Sand is consumed faster than it can be replenished by geological processes that take hundreds of thousands of years.
Unsustainable sand extraction not only degrades the environment in habitats crucial for fish, turtles, birds, and crabs but also disrupts nearby communities.
The depletion of terrestrial sand resources leads to increased sea dredging, with half of dredging companies operating in protected marine areas.
Sand extracted from natural ecosystems turns into “dead sand” when used for concrete, asphalt, and glass instead of water filtration and coastal protection, the report points out.
“Sands represent our first line of defense against sea-level rise, storm surges, and coastal aquifer salinization – risks exacerbated by climate change,” says Pascal Peduzzi, director of UNEP’s World Resources Database in Geneva.
The report also notes a growing interest in exploiting magnetite sand, sometimes called “black sand,” containing precious minerals in regions like Southeast Asia and Latin America.
UNEP calls for improved governance, including national sand inventories and better recognition of sand as a strategic resource.
(Source: Reuters, Image source: Reuters)
