How the Global Appetite for Sand Is Fuelling a Crisis

CONTENTS

ABSTRACT...................................................................................................................................................... 2
INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................. 2
BACKGROUND ............................................................................................................................................... 2
DISCUSSION................................................................................................................................................... 3
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................................. 4
RECOMMENDATION ..................................................................................................................................... 4
BIBLIOGRAPHY .............................................................................................................................................. 4

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ABSTRACT

Sand is our most expended characteristic asset after water. The demand for sand is highly rising
and its crisis is creating conflicts in many sand-rich areas. In spite of this, urbanization is fuelling
sand misuse for its requirements. Work conditions for sand miners vary in different places.
Miners have to risk their lives as they harvest sand by hand underwater. Local mafia-like
structures characterized by violence and lack of trust control sand mines and therefore, we are
unaware about the financial conditions of sand operations in India. Illegal sand extractions from
marine and other ecosystems have prompted genuine supportability challenges including carbon
emissions. Infrastructure demands contribute 8% of global carbon dioxide emissions leading to a
serious issue. A significant beginning stage for assembling a sand plan is the 2019 UNEP sand
administration report, concentrating on responsibility and straightforwardness in sand esteem
chains. Sand agenda can be further mobilized if researchers and campaigners focus on narratives
about climate crisis and wetland habitat.

INTRODUCTION

Sand is the second most consumed natural resource. This report highlights the worldwide
interest for sand and its importance. The background section outlines the rising demand for sand
and how its shortage is leading to a worldwide emergency. The discussion section includes
information about illegal sand extraction worldwide and explains few considerations to be
addressed. The conclusion outlines the mobilization of sand agenda. The recommendation
highlights few sand agendas for a greener global future.

BACKGROUND

The worldwide demand for sand is rising every single day. Around 40 to 50 billion tons of sand
is being consumed yearly as per the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP). As it is one
of the most consumed natural resource, its increasing consumption is leading a way to its
scarcity. This issue can only be solved if people start managing and governing the usage of sand
in a proper manner.

Sand is used to fulfill various requirements such as manufacturing medical-grade glass vials to
hold vaccines. Due to its crisis, industrialists and researches had to face problems, that too,
before starting the development of coronavirus vaccine. Sand crisis has also led to conflicts in

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Florida and other similar sand-rich areas. Urbanization requires sand for concrete, land infill,
asphalt and glass. Today, the global urban population is around 4.4 billion and it is expected to
reach 5.2 billion by 2030. Sand is the main source for concrete for this vast population but
increasing requirements of people is fuelling sand exploitation.

Entrepreneurs, organized crime and other groups are taking advantages of sand crisis by hiring
labors in cheap and destructing coastal areas, riverbank and delta erosion. Due to this, work
conditions for sand miners are getting worse. Countries like Cambodia and southwest China, in
spite of having highly mechanized sand mines, employ very less people for laboring. Whereas,
owners of sand mines in Nepal might hire hundreds of people to work in their places for more
useful production. On the other hand, local citizens of Myanmar who are settled alongside rivers
can collect river sand informally for their benefit.

DISCUSSION

Many illegal works are done using sand mining areas and labors involved in sand mining.
Organized groups involved in crimes are associated with sand mining industries. It is obvious
that many illegal sand operations are hidden from port authorities as they use GPS spoofing
devices for their safety. Sand mining also can be dangerous as miners may drown while
removing sand by hand under deep water. Due to this reason, large population of people has been
killed in clashes over sand in past many years.

In many countries including India, sand mines and districts are under local mafia like structures.
These structures cannot be trusted as they support violence and misuse their power but sadly,
dark side of these structures is still unknown. Due to illegal sand extractions from different
ecosystems, the world is facing serious sustainability challenges. Carbon emissions and land loss
are major issues. The main reason behind this is the lack of required data on sand extraction.
Also, global sand imports are ahead of global sand exports. This can be proved by viewing the
data about sand exports from Cambodia. Between years 2007 and 2016, Singapore imported 80.2
million tons of sand from Cambodia. However, Cambodia registered only 2.77 million tons of
sand exports to Singapore. This means around 77.43 million tons of sand went missing
highlighting how this commodity is degrading country’s development.

In large rivers such as Mekong and Yangtze, sand degradation is creating a bad impact on
aquatic plants and animals. Also, erosion levels have been increasing. In Mekong delta, fishes
are disappearing due to loud noise creating during sand mining.

In 2019, UNEP published a sand governance report highlighting the ways to mobilize sand
agenda. This report proved out to be a great help for controlling illegal sand extractions.
Research people can work on ways to improve water quality, minimize loss of wetland habitat

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and other issues for better mobilization on sand agenda. Others can help by trying to explore
better working conditions for sand miners and extracting information on involvement of political
parties in financing sand extraction. In these ways, illegal utilization of sand can be minimized.

CONCLUSION

Sand agenda have mobilized a lot but not to its greatest extent till now. Scientists and
campaigners are reviving data on biological measurements to improve sand mobilization.
Activists are working towards better extraction of good quality sand for creating a greener future.

RECOMMENDATION

For better production of sand, we can focus on improving work systems and working conditions.
Also, we can help by investigating on how the sand mining part depends on modest work,
climatic conditions, financial conditions and crimes.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Melissa Marschke, Jean-François Rousseau, Laura Schoenberger and Michael Hoffman. The Wire. 05 09,
2020. https://science.thewire.in/environment/how-the-global-appetite-for-sand-is-fuelling-a-
crisis/.

—. "How the Global Appetite for Sand Is Fuelling a Crisis." 05 09, 2020.