Global Sand Extraction Crisis

UNEP is warning that global sand extraction is occurring faster than natural replenishment and is increasingly damaging ecosystems, fisheries, and coastal resilience.

The reporting centers on land reclamation and dredging projects in the Maldives, the Philippines, Indonesia, and the Mekong region, where sand removal has altered habitats and harmed livelihoods. The issue matters because sand is both a critical construction input and a natural coastal defense, leaving governments to balance development, climate adaptation, and environmental protection.