Earth Today | Mounting scrutiny over global sand trade
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THE GROWING debate over sand extraction is exposing deficiencies in how governments and private interests are managing one of the world’s most heavily consumed natural resources.
“Governments must recognise sand as a strategic asset and establish national inventories that capture its multiple values. This means establishing an inter-ministerial entity tasked with coordinating policy, developing a national roadmap for sand resources, and balancing competing uses across sectors and jurisdictions,” noted the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) 2026 report, Sand and Sustainability: An Essential Resource for Nature and Development.
“Multi-stakeholder platforms and long-term regional planning entities are essential to build consensus and coordinate sand supply with both baseline infrastructure needs, and future resilience demands. In parallel, reducing demand for naturally occurring sand and mainstreaming technically proven alternatives are central to long-term sustainability,” the report added.
The global sand market was valued at some USD 569.4 billion in 2024, and is anticipated to grow at around three per cent each year, “driven by urbanisation and infrastructure development and the material demands of climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts”.
According to the report, sand’s value cannot be underestimated.
“The scale of sand use vastly exceeds that of critical minerals: around 50 billion tonnes of sand are extracted every year, compared to the projected annual extraction of 30 million tonnes of critical minerals by 2030 under a Net Zero Emissions by 2050 scenario. Even for renewable energy infrastructure, sand and gravel constitute the largest volume of materials. For instance, they represent about 70 per cent of the total volume needed for wind farms,” the report noted, citing the work of researchers.
It has cautioned that fragmented oversight and poor transparency are accelerating ecological damage while leaving vulnerable communities to absorb the fallout.
“Extraction is increasingly concentrated in ecologically sensitive riverine, coastal, and marine systems. Mismanagement can result in cascading consequences: deltas sink, coastlines erode, aquifers become salinised, and habitats fragment,” it said.
“These impacts are not confined to the extraction site. Through global trade and infrastructure investment, benefits accrue in growing urban centres while environmental degradation and livelihood losses are displaced onto vulnerable communities elsewhere,” the report said further.
The problem is compounded by a lack of reliable data, with information about extraction sites, environmentally sensitive zones, and long-term impacts either incomplete or inaccessible to the public in many countries. Researchers say this transparency deficit hampers enforcement efforts and leaves governments unable to make informed planning decisions.
“Greater transparency and community engagement are needed to strengthen sand governance. Standardising disclosure of extraction data, environmental and social assessments, and monitoring results would improve accountability, while reinforcing local stewardship and tenure security can reduce inequities for marginalised communities. Open geospatial platforms and harmonised biodiversity and social indicators can enhance oversight, curb illicit activity, and support evidence-based decisions,” it said.
Now, as the global demand for construction materials rises, pressure is mounting for international standards that address both environmental sustainability and social equity. The report has noted that, without coordinated reform, the world’s growing appetite for sand could deepen inequality and accelerate ecological decline in some of the planet’s most fragile regions.
“The sand challenge should be understood as a question of justice. The relationships between sand and environmental, climate and energy justice should be rigorously interrogated and carefully integrated into processes, policies and practices that underpin responses to the significant challenge posed by sand in the 21st century,” the report said.