The United Nations warns that approximately six billion tons of sand are extracted from the world's oceans annually, posing a threat to marine ecosystems and coastal communities. Sand, the second most exploited natural resource globally after water, is vital for the production of concrete and glass.

According to the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), some vessels are effectively acting as "vacuum cleaners," not only dredging sand but also micro-organisms that serve as a food source for fish. This destructive activity may lead to irreversible damage in certain regions.

This revelation coincides with the introduction of a new monitoring tool called Marine Sand Watch, which employs marine tracking and artificial intelligence to track dredging activities.

Pascal Peduzzi, who leads UNEP's analytics center GRID-Geneva, emphasized the alarming scale of environmental consequences resulting from shallow sea mining and dredging. Out of the roughly 50 billion tons of sand and gravel used globally each year, around six billion tons are sourced from oceans and seas. This is equivalent to more than one million dump trucks of sand being extracted daily.

Peduzzi pointed out that large vessels are essentially sterilizing the seafloor by removing sand and destroying crucial microorganisms that sustain fish populations. In some cases, sand is dredged all the way down to the bedrock, making it unlikely for marine life to recover.

The UNEP recommends banning sand dredging on beaches to safeguard coastal resilience and economies. Sand is indispensable for constructing buildings, roads, dams, and renewable energy infrastructure like solar panels. Additionally, it plays a critical role in protecting communities from rising sea levels.

Areas with the highest levels of dredging include the South China Sea, the North Sea, and the eastern coast of the United States, according to the report.