At the surface, sand seems like an inexpensive resource with infinite supply. But the cost of sand does not reflect the economic damage that is done to a variety of other industries.
Price of Sand
40 billion tonnes of sand are being used each year for construction, glass, and building artificial islands. As less than 5% of the world's sand can be used for construction (desert sand not being an option), sand usage is exponentially exceeding its reproduction.
Demand for sand has increased so much that, in conjunction with reduced sand build-up in rivers due to disruptive dams and plants, Vietnam will run out of sand that can be used for construction by 2020.
Learn more about security implications of sand price increases |
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With sand becoming less available, the cost has begun to rise exponentially. In Vietnam alone, the price spiked by 50-200% between March and April of 2017.
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Tourism
Not only is beach erosion bad for habitats and safety, it can also negatively impact tourism. 80% of tourists visit coastal areas, making up a massive portion of the coastal economy. Sand is literally being removed from beaches, meaning that they are declining and could eventually disappear completely.
For those who rely on tourism as a means of livelihood, shrinking beaches and hotels and restaurants that are at risk of major flooding will not yield the same levels of prosperity as in the past, and the tourism industry in these areas could be completely eradicated.
Fisheries
Fisheries are also strongly affected as habitat destruction, pollution, and changes in the pH levels of the water can lessen the number of available fish. These damages could have huge economic impacts on the fishing industry and the livelihood of many. Huge setbacks to many economies will occur if the fishing industry continues to be threatened by sand dredging.
- Fisheries provide protein and nutrient sources to many regions such as the Amazon, Southeast Asia, and Africa
- The Mekong River Fishery alone harvests more than 3 million tonnes, producing more than 17 billion USD of income
- More than 18 and 13 percent of Cambodia's and Laos' GDPs, respectively, are from capture fisheries
- River fisheries provide close to 12 million tonnes of freshwater fish harvested annually
- 60 million people rely on fisheries for their livelihood (with 55% of them being women)
- Recreational fisheries are valued at 65-80 billion USD per year
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Fisheries often rely on natural characteristics to be productive, so impacts on their floodplain connectivity, flood pulse, and up- and down-stream connectivity could have significant effects on their yields. With sand dredging occurring, the resources that help billions of people through fisheries will be diminished.
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Infrastructure
There will be major impacts on the infrastructure industry. Rapid coastal erosion means that new requirements for building resilience will have to be developed.
Read more on Coastal Erosion
- Coastal erosion impacts: bridges, side protection walls, and water supply units
- Sand extraction weakens the foundation for surrounding infrastructure
- Bridges have already collapsed in Portugal, India, and Taiwan
Read more on Coastal Erosion
Agriculture
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As many agricultural sites are near rivers, sand extraction also affects them through erosion diminishing arable land and the overall lowering of the water table. Additionally, without the natural sand barrier on the shores, salt water flows onto farmland, rendering it unusable for agriculture.
For any agricultural sites located next to rivers, this could significantly impact productivity-levels and even existence in the long-term. |
Insurance
The insurance industry is also impacted. With more frequent instances of extreme flooding and storm surges, property located close to the waterfront is at much higher risk of damage. This occurs in conjunction with eroded beach fronts, leading to decreased resilience to flooding overall. The insurance industry will have to adapt their policies to these more common and damaging natural disasters.
Read more on Natural Disasters
Read more on Natural Disasters
Flood Frequency Map, WWF Report
Sources
PEDUZZI, Pascal. Sand, rarer than one thinks. Environmental Development, 2014, vol. 11, p. 208-218
Trade Machines - Why the World is Running out of Sand
WWF, 2018 - Valuing rivers - How the diverse benefits of healthy rivers underpin economies
https://www.newvision.co.ug/new_vision/news/1474767/sand-prices-shot
https://tuoitrenews.vn/news/society/20170803/vietnam-forecast-to-run-out-of-construction-sand-by-2020/40865.html
http://theconversation.com/the-world-is-facing-a-global-sand-crisis-83557
PEDUZZI, Pascal. Sand, rarer than one thinks. Environmental Development, 2014, vol. 11, p. 208-218
Trade Machines - Why the World is Running out of Sand
WWF, 2018 - Valuing rivers - How the diverse benefits of healthy rivers underpin economies
https://www.newvision.co.ug/new_vision/news/1474767/sand-prices-shot
https://tuoitrenews.vn/news/society/20170803/vietnam-forecast-to-run-out-of-construction-sand-by-2020/40865.html
http://theconversation.com/the-world-is-facing-a-global-sand-crisis-83557