Our need for sand is wreaking havoc on our oceans, warned the UN Environment Program, which on Tuesday cautioned that the mining of it at our current pace is not sustainable..
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Some six billion tonnes of sand and other sediment is extracted from the world's seas and oceans every year, the UN said Tuesday, warning of the devastating toll on biodiversity and coastal communities.He warned that the world is approaching the natural replenishment rate of 10-16 billion tonnes of sediment washed into the world's oceans each year.
Some six billion tonnes of sand and other sediment is extracted from the world's seas and oceans every year, the UN said Tuesday, warning of the devastating toll on biodiversity and coastal communities.He warned that the world is approaching the natural replenishment rate of 10-16 billion tonnes of sediment washed into the world's oceans each year.
Around 6 billion tons of marine sand is being dug up each year in a growing practice that a U.N. agency said is unsustainable and can wipe out local marine life irreversibly. Sand is the most exploited natural resource in the world after water but its extraction for use in industries like construction is only loosely governed, prompting the U.N. to pass a resolution last year to promote more sustainable mining. The findings from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) coincide with the launch of a new platform 'Marine Sand Watch' backed by funding from the Swiss government that monitors dredging activities using marine tracking and artificial intelligence.