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According to a report recently published by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), every year humans exploit 4-8 billion tons of sand from the world's seas and oceans, an average of 6 billion tons, equivalent to a 10m high, 10m thick wall surrounding the Earth, far exceeding the rate at which it is replenished from rivers.
The report was released to coincide with the launch of the first global data platform on marine sediment mining called Marine Sand Watch, which uses artificial intelligence (AI) to track and monitor dredging activities for sand, clay, mud, gravel and rock in marine environments around the world.
According to UNEP, dredging – especially at current rates equivalent to around 1 million truckloads per day – disturbs marine sediments, pollutes seawater and can eventually contaminate drinking water through coastal or nearshore dredging, affecting the salinity of aquifers. This dredging will cause severe damage to seabed biodiversity and coastal communities, and hinder economic activities such as fishing.
Sand, a valuable resource for industries such as construction, is the world’s most exploited natural resource after water. It is also a critical resource for coastal communities facing rising sea levels and extreme weather events such as storms and hurricanes. Current dredging hotspots include the North Sea, the US East Coast and Southeast Asia. Last year’s UNEP report on sand and sustainability also called for increased monitoring of sand extraction, sourcing, use and management, which remains largely unregulated in many parts of the world. However, international practices and legal frameworks for sand mining vary widely. Some countries such as Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam and Cambodia have banned the export of beach sand for the past 20 years, while others lack effective laws or monitoring programs.
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