The global sand crisis: it's being used up faster than it can be replaced

"Sand is sometimes referred to as the unrecognised hero of development, but its essential role in sustaining the natural services on which we depend is even more overlooked. Sand is our first line of defence against sea level rise, storm surges, and salination of coastal aquifers all hazards exacerbated by climate change. The most extracted solid material on Earth, sand is mined to build homes, roads and sea walls in concrete production, building foundations and masonry work."

"But it is just as crucial left in place: it regulates rivers, protects coastal aquifers, filters water and sustains biodiversity. The report argues demand exists for sand in both its dead and alive states, and each is in competition. In 2019, the Maldives government commissioned a Dutch company to fill in the lagoon in the island of Gulhifalhu, close to Male."

"Around the world, urban development and industry is using sand at a rate of 50bn tonnes a year, a figure that is expected to grow. But a new UN report warns that sand is being extracted faster than it can be replenished, and that this is threatening livelihoods, ecosystems and the very structure of the natural world."

"The 192-hectare (475-acre) land reclamation demanded 24.5m cubic metres of sand dredged from 13.75 sq km of northern Male atoll. Six months later, an environmental assessment conclude"

Male faces population growth and rising sea levels that shrink living space. A land reclamation plan would use sand dredged from nearby atolls to expand land. Global sand use for construction and industry is extremely high and expected to increase. A UN report warns sand is extracted faster than it can be replenished, creating risks for livelihoods and ecosystems. Sand functions as a first line of defense against sea level rise, storm surges, and salination of coastal aquifers. Sand also regulates rivers, protects aquifers, filters water, and sustains biodiversity. Demand exists for sand in both extracted and in-place forms, creating competition between development needs and environmental services. The Maldives commissioned a large reclamation project near Male that required massive sand dredging from surrounding atoll areas.

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