Key points
- A new UN Environment Programme (UNEP) report warns that humanity is extracting 50 billion tonnes of sand and gravel annually.
- Global demand for sand in buildings is projected to rise by 45 per cent by 2060.
- Population growth in Africa, expected to double by 2050, is identified as a major driver for future infrastructure demand.
- Sand extraction is increasingly occurring in fragile ecosystems, including rivers, coastal zones, and protected marine areas.
- UNEP is advocating for the use of “ore-sand” and compressed straw as sustainable alternatives to traditional sand.
Main Story
The UN says humanity is extracting sand and gravel faster than nature can replenish it, warning that sand is not an endless resource.
This is contained in a new UN Environment Programme (UNEP) report, “Sand and Sustainability: An Essential Resource for Nature and Development”.
UNEP said surging global demand for sand, driven by population, economic, urbanisation and infrastructure growth, is outpacing sustainable sand supply, threatening the ecosystems and livelihoods on which we depend.
The UN agency decried the sand dilemma, saying “we depend on ‘dead’ sand for infrastructure and ‘alive’ sand for natural services”.
The study found sand demand for buildings is expected to rise by 45 per cent by 2060, triggering UNEP’s warning that the world may be left without sand.
While it took nature hundreds of thousands of years to generate sand through geological erosion, humans are using it at a rate of 50 billion tonnes per year. Pascal Peduzzi, a senior UNEP official, noted that while demand was previously fueled by booming economies in Asia, the focus will shift to Africa as its population is set to double by 2050.
The report found that extraction is increasingly taking place in fragile rivers, lakes, and coastal zones. Climate change is also driving demand, as sand is required for sea walls to protect against rising oceans.
The Issues
- The “sand dilemma” highlights a conflict between the need for “dead” sand used in construction and the vital role of “alive” sand in supporting natural ecosystem services.
- Current extraction practices often prioritize the lowest cost sourcing, leading to significant long term environmental damage in protected marine and riverine areas.
- Most governments continue to view sand as a cheap, abundant commodity rather than a strategic resource linked to water security and biodiversity.
What’s Being Said
- “Sand is extracted for various infrastructure needs that underpin modern society and development,” UNEP said.
- “It took nature hundreds of thousands of years to generate sand through gradual, geological erosion processes. Yet we are using sand at the staggering rate of 50 billion tonnes per year,” the report stated.
- “We have seen that particularly in Asia and Southeast Asia where the economy was booming. But we will see it now in Africa because the population is going to double from now to 2050,” said Pascal Peduzzi.
- “We depend on ‘dead’ sand for infrastructure and ‘alive’ sand for natural services,” the UN agency noted regarding the resource’s dual role.
What’s Next
- UNEP is urging governments to adopt stronger environmental oversight and greater transparency regarding extraction permits.
- Industry players are being encouraged to expand the use of “ore-sand,” a by-product of mineral processing, to reduce pressure on coastal ecosystems.
- Research into alternative building materials, such as compressed straw and recycled glass, is expected to accelerate to meet the 2060 demand projections.
Bottom Line
With global sand consumption reaching 50 billion tonnes annually, the UN is calling for a fundamental shift in how the world manages sand, moving from seeing it as an infinite material to treating it as a strategic resource essential for climate resilience.
