World is running out of sand which may mean no new homes, United Nations warns
THE WORLD is at risk of running out of sand, according to the United Nations.
Sand is very important for multiple reasons including building new homes as it's a key component of things like glass and concrete.
The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) is that the world is facing a "sand crisis".
Sand is currently the second most used resource across the global after water.
A staggering 186.5 million cubic meters of marine sand was used to construct the The Palm Jumeirah in Dubai.
The UNEP website states: "50 billion tons: enough to build a wall 27 metres wide and 27 metres high around planet Earth.
"This is the volume of sand and gravel used each year, making it the second most used resource worldwide after water.
"Given our dependency on it, sand must be recognised as a strategic resource and its extraction and use needs to be rethought."
The demand for sand across the world is surging.
The UNEP's new report warns that we're using sand much faster than natural processes can create it.
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Sand is made from a few different naturally materials but it mostly consists of rocks that have been worn down over time.
It can take millions of years for some rocks to decompose enough to completely turn into sand.
Pascal Peduzzi, program coordinator for the UN report, says: "To achieve sustainable development, we need to drastically change the way we produce, build and consume products, infrastructures and services.
"Our sand resources are not infinite, and we need to use them wisely."
Sand isn't just important for construction.
Sand is also crucial to maintain the planet's biodiversity and lots of animals like seals, some lizards and crabs, heavily rely on sand to exist.
All hope is not lost though.
The UNEP thinks we have time to avoid a big sand crisis.
Peduzzi added: "If we can get a grip on how to manage the most extracted solid material in the world, we can avert a crisis and move toward a circular economy."
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The UNEP has recommended that companies are given incentives to use good alternatives to natural sand.
These include mining by-products and crushed rocks.
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