Sand, An Overexploited Resource At The Heart Of Global Tensions

(MENAFN- Swissinfo) Sand is at the heart of unprecedented geopolitical tensions, being the second most exploited natural resource after water. Its extraction is not subject to any global regulation and has tripled in the last 20 years. In Geneva, a global observatory is tracking this still little-known phenomenon. This content was published on September 5, 2025 - 09:00 7 minutes

Warfare, humanitarian crises, climate change, health... I cover geopolitical issues from international Geneva and coordinate the "Genève Vision" editorial project, a joint venture among SWI swissinfo, Géopolitis RTS and the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). As a former environmental journalist, I have developed a keen interest in raw materials and have reported on mining conflicts in the Arctic. I studied geography and specialised in investigative journalism, video, and data journalism at the Academy of Journalism and Media, collaborating with outlets such as Temps présent (RTS), Le Temps, 24 Heures, Heidi, and Geneva Solutions.

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Could fine sandy beaches, the jewel of summer holidays, soon become a dream of the past? Across the world, most beaches continue to recede, prey to rising waters that erode the coastline. But that is not the only threat. Sand, coveted by sunseekers and builders alike, is now the most heavily exploited natural resource after water.

Demand for sand is exploding worldwide for building construction, glass manufacturing, technology and oil extraction, while reserves are dwindling. Without it, there would be no concrete. Two hundred tonnes are needed for a single-family home, 3,000 tonnes for a hospital, and 30,000 tonnes for a kilometre of motorway.

In response to this growing overexploitation, the UN launched in 2023 a Global Sand Observatory, based in Geneva. This platform, the first of its kind, aims to quantify the scale of extraction and document its consequences on ecosystems and coastal populations.

Pascal Peduzzi, director of GRID-Geneva, the global resource database attached to UN Environment, was a guest on the latest episode of Géopolitis, a programme broadcast by Swiss public broadcaster RTS.

“Sand mining is a very important issue, yet one that is little known,” says Peduzzi, an environmental researcher and professor at the University of Geneva.“Sand is so ever-present that we don't notice it. But it is the invisible hero of our development.”

Society, a castle built on sand

Sand is omnipresent in our daily lives. It is found in concrete, asphalt, glass, cosmetics and electronics. Its extraction, whether artisanal or industrial, represents around 50 billion tonnes worldwide each year. This figure has tripled in the last 20 years, while it takes thousands of years to regenerate.“Sand is made by erosion, and we use it on an astronomical scale,” Peduzzi points out.

World's top exporters of sand by value (in $ million) Geopolitis

While most sand is extracted to meet domestic demand, a portion also fuels global trade. The United States is the leading exporter, selling nearly $1 billion (CHF800 million) worth of sand in 2024, followed by the Netherlands ($262 million), Cambodia ($218 million), Germany ($160 million) and Belgium ($112 million). The leading importing countries are Singapore ($312 million), Canada ($291 million), China ($291 million) and Vietnam ($225 million).

A strategic weapon

Sand has become a strategic weapon. Singapore, for example, has expanded its coastal territory by 25% since the 1960s, thanks to massive imports of sand mainly from neighbouring countries. This land“reclamation” often comes at the expense of supplier countries, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Cambodia.

“When Singapore imports sand from Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia or Cambodia, it affects local ecosystems and even leads to the disappearance of certain small islands, as is the case in Indonesia,” explains Peduzzi.“This can lead to diplomatic tensions, because when you lose islands, you lose territorial waters and therefore exclusive economic zones.”

In other regions, such as the South China Sea, sand has become a strategic weapon for claiming new territories by creating artificial islands. This is contested by the international community, he points out.

A black market that hits the vulnerable

The lack of international regulation encourages the development of illegal trafficking, particularly in Cape Verde, where many beaches are being turned into quarries. Living in precarious conditions, many women have no choice but to collect sand for a pittance, around CHF25 ($31) per month.

Geopolitis

These practices, which strip the beaches of their sand, affect other livelihoods such as fishing and crab collecting.“Once the sand is removed, the crabs disappear, fish become scarce, and villagers are forced to leave their villages for the cities,” explains Peduzzi.

An ecological disaster waiting to happen

As sand resources become increasingly scarce, extraction sites are moving to ever more fragile environments. The seabed, riverbeds and coastlines are the most sought-after locations. Not all sand is created equal: desert sand, shaped by the wind, is far too smooth and fine for construction.

Biodiversity is the first to be impacted, but so is our ability to adapt to climate change, warns Peduzzi.“Sand is our first line of defence against storms and floods. It filters water and protects coastal water tables from saltwater infiltration,” he continues.

In Vietnam, the depletion of reserves is accelerating bank erosion in the Mekong Delta, threatening to displace hundreds of thousands of people due to landslides. As well as sand extraction, which alters the morphology of rivers, hydroelectric dams retain sediments, slowing their natural water transport and threatening the renewal of sand resources.“Whether Vietnam likes it or not, there will be no more sand in ten years,” says Mekong Delta specialist Nguyen Huu Thien.“These are the last grains of sand that we are dredging or extracting.”

Heading for a global shortage?

Faced with supply difficulties, some construction projects have been put on hold, such as in the Philippines capital Manila, where the extension of an airport runway has been suspended due to a lack of sand.“We can see that we are heading towards a sand shortage,” says Peduzzi.“Small island countries like the Maldives are the first to be affected, because they have very few materials.”

In Europe, too, countries with no mountains like Belgium, Denmark and the Netherlands are also running out of resources.“It is estimated that Belgium has enough sand left for 80 years, and the Netherlands a little less,” the professor notes.

Alternatives exist

Given increasing scarcity, some companies are turning to industrial sand, produced from crushed rock or mining residues. This is particularly the case in China, where the property market is booming and 80% of sand requirements are met by this alternative.

To curb overexploitation, Peduzzi recommends focusing on recycling, extending the life of buildings through renovation rather than demolition, and using alternative materials.“Concrete is not the solution to everything, especially since cement production accounts for some 8% of greenhouse gas emissions,” he says.“We can also build with straw or wood.” In Switzerland, too, companies are looking at recovering heavy metals and ash from waste incineration to use as substitutes for sand.

Edited by Virginie Mangin/ds . Translated from French by Julia Crawford.

This article is the result of a collaboration between Swissinfo and Géopolitis RTS. If you would like to know more about International Geneva, listen to our Inside Geneva podcast .

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