“Given our dependence, sand should be recognized as a strategic resource.” UNEP experts speak of the need to rethink sand consumption

Specialists from UNEP (United Nations Environment Program) – UN environmental programs – added another one to the list of potential problems for humanity. Sand.

Sand is the second most used resource on our planet after water. And therefore, its use must be treated responsibly.

50 billion tons is enough to build a wall 27 meters wide and 27 meters high around the entire Earth. This is the volume of sand and gravel used each year, making it the second most used resource in the world after water. Given our dependence on it, sand must be recognized as a strategic resource, and its extraction and use must be rethought.

The report of the organization contains the necessary recommendations received from world experts for the transition to more advanced methods of sand extraction and management.

Sand mining where it plays an active role, such as in rivers, coastal or marine ecosystems, can lead to erosion, salinization of aquifers, loss of storm surge protection, and impacts on biodiversity that threaten livelihoods, among others, water supply, food production, fishing or tourism industry

According to experts, sand should be recognized as a strategic resource precisely because it plays an extremely important role both as a material for construction and as an important element in the environment.

To achieve sustainable development, we need to radically change the way we produce, create and consume products, infrastructure and services. Our sand resources are not unlimited and we must use them wisely. If we can figure out how to manage the world’s most mined hard material, we can avert a crisis and move towards a circular economy.