Sand is the world’s most consumed raw material after water and an essential ingredient to our everyday lives. It is central for the construction of roads, bridges, and buildings. The material is also fundamental in the manufacturing of glass and silicon computer chips.
Yet the world is facing a growing sand shortage without readily available alternative materials. As infrastructure construction booms, the dramatic increase in demand for sand has led to rising tensions, violent conflict, and degraded ecosystems.
As global demand continues to rise faster than natural sources can sustain, it is crucial to manage sand sustainably. WWF and partners are exploring the issue and working to advance policy and practice related to this growing global challenge.
Resources
Biodiversity and Sand Mining: Key Ecological Impacts Fact Sheet
Vice: Illegal Sand Mining is Creating an Ecological Crisis in Bangladesh