Sand and Sustainability: An Essential Resource for Nature and Development

Authors

• Helena Bach, UNEP/GRID
• Tom Bide, British Geological Survey
• Stephanie Chuah, UNEP/GRID
• Candice Chung, UNEP/GRID
• Katherine Dawson, University College London
• Marc Goichot, WWF Asia Pacific
• Reia Guppy, The University of Trinidad and Tobago
• Jean-Baptiste Jouffray, Stanford University/Stockholm Resilence Centre
• Ashley McCleaf Long, Costal Carolina University
• Mona Mohammed, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
• Jonathan Moizer, Plymouth Business School
• Pascal Peduzzi, UNEP/GRID-Geneva
• Sheila Puffer, Northeastern University
• Munira Raji, University of Plymouth
• Mark Russell, Mineral Products Association
• Luis Sanchez, University of São Paulo
• Ian Selby, University of Liverpool
• Murtah Shannon, Both ENDS
• Natalia Strigin, Deltares
• Aurora Torres, University of Alicante
• Juanito Torres Montano, UNEP/GRID-Geneva
• Vera Van Lancker, Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences/Ghent University
• Arnaud Vander Velpen, UNEP/GRID-Geneva
• Renee Young, The Western Australian Biodiversity Science Institute
• Halinishi Yusuf, Newcastle University
• Adel A. Zadeh, Northestern University
• Sophus O.S.E zu Ermgassen, University of Oxford

ORCID

• Jonathan Moizer: 0000-0001-7451-378X

Abstract

The Sand and Sustainability: An Essential Resource for Nature and Development highlights sand’s multiple values to modern society, as well as its often overlooked ’non-use’ values when left within functioning ecosystems where it underpins livelihoods, water security, food systems, territorial integrity, and shelter. The report examines the growing environmental, social, and economic pressures linked to rising global sand demand and identifies key gaps in governance, biodiversity integration, monitoring, and long-term planning. It presents 24 strategic actions for governments, industry, financial institutions, and civil society to better govern sand resources and their multiple values, prioritise long-term planning, transform financial systems, reduce unnecessary demand, strengthen circularity, improve transparency and monitoring, and fully integrate biodiversity considerations into decision-making.

Publication Date

2026-05-13

Publisher

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) / UNEP–GRID Geneva

ISBN

978-92-807-4279-4

Deposit Date

2026-05-31

Recommended Citation

Bach, H., Bide, T., Chuah, S., Chung, C., Dawson, K., Goichot, M., Guppy, R., Jouffray, J., McCleaf Long, A., Mohammed, M., Moizer, J., Peduzzi, P., Puffer, S., Raji, M., Russell, M., Sanchez, L., Selby, I., Shannon, M., Strigin, N., Torres, A., Torres Montano, J., Van Lancker, V., Vander Velpen, A., Young, R., Yusuf, H., Zadeh, A., & zu Ermgassen, S. (2026) 'Sand and Sustainability: An Essential Resource for Nature and Development', United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) / UNEP–GRID Geneva: Retrieved from https://pearl.plymouth.ac.uk/pbs-research/709