World Sand Crisis: Extraction Outpaces Replenishment, Endangering Coasts and Ecosystems
A UN report warns that global demand for sand—vital for construction, infrastructure and coastal protection—outpaces its natural replenishment, risking livelihoods, fisheries and ecosystems as large-scale land reclamation (notably in the Maldives) destroys reefs and protected habitats; the analysis urges better governance, data, and transparency to manage sand use amid rising sea levels.
