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133 views56 pages

Sands Ust

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Raja Mani
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Published by the United Nations Enviconment Progiamme (UNEP), February 2019 Copyright @ UNEP 2019 ISBN No: 978-92-807 Job number: DEW/2237/GE Reproduction ‘This publication may be reproduced in whole or in part and in any form for educational or non-profit services without “special permission from the copyright holdey, provced acknowledgement of the source is made, UNEP would appreciate receiving a copy of any publication that uses this publication as a source. No use of this publication may bbe made for resale or any other commercial purpose whatsoever without prior permission in writing from the United "Nations Environment Programme. Applications for such permission, witha statement of the purpose and extent of the teproduction, should be addressed to the Directo, GRID-Geneva, United Nations Environment, Geneva, Switzerland. Disclaimer ‘Mention of a commercial eompany or product in this document does not imply endorsement by UNEP or the authors. The se of information from this daoument far publicity or advertising is nat permitted. Trademark names and symbols are used in an editorial fashion with no intention on infringement of trademark or copytight laws. The views expressed in this publication are a synthesis of expert views and do nat neceseally reflect the views ofthe United Nations Environment Programme. We regret any errors or omissions that may have been unwittingly made, © Images and illustrations as specified. Citation ‘This document may be cited as: ‘UNEP 2019, Sand and sustainability: Finding new solutions for environmental governance of global sand resources. ‘GRID-Geneva, United Nations Environment Programme, Geneve, Switzerland. ‘A digital copy ofthis reports avaiable at: htipi/ wwwuunepatid.ch/ ‘Cover illustration: Audrey Ringley, UNEP ON Ciemicarc mes i) poet Pee cme Ce mane a eee is G\ | Sand and Sustainability: | Finding new solutions for Ce ele yee ue) WN of global sand resources Ak Gi f “ oO UN® environment ‘About this report v Funding sources Bhi ; preniisees V Expert roundtable contributors vi Expert reviewers and ather contibutors vi Project team vil Glossary....... . . cece Foreword x Executive summary. xi Key messages... . xv r 2.1 State of global sand resources... 3 22 Impacts 2.3 Gaps in the current governance sy global sand resources 26 3.1 Avoiding unnecessary consumption " 8.2 Using recycled and alternative materials to replace natural sand in construction 2 8.3 Reducing extraction impacts through implementing existing standards and best practices ...... 15 4.1 Strengthen standards and best practices to cur irresponsible extraction a 42 Invest in sand production and consumption measurement, monitoring and planning 2 43 Establish dialogue based on transparency and accountability : 24 Scientific articles, 31 Technical eports 33 Books . tte cect 238 Websites 34 Databases 34 Media articles 35 Documentaries ..... Dieserererineeeeseeeen 35 Conference / Committee reports About this report Environmental and social impacts of sand extraction and consumption is a new issue forthe international community. United Nations Environment Programme ‘GRID Geneva and the University of Geneva held an expert roundtable event on 11 October 2018 in Geneva, Switzerland to produce an action-oriented starting point fora global conversation on how sand resources could be consumed and produced responsibly in future. ‘This report summarises the problem analysis, case studies and main messages: ‘suggested at this event by twenty primary participants. Expert perspectives were verified and supplemented with academic and grey literature reviews and an ‘external review process. ‘This analysis contained in this report is not intended as prescriptive. Instead, the {goal isto offer constructive overview ofthe sustainability challange, governance ‘9208, available solutions and options for action for al stakeholders on sand resources and sustainability, Funding sources Funding for this report was provided by the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment, Federal Department of Environment, Transport, Energy and ‘Communication, Division of Intemational Affairs. The roundtable event which ‘provided much of the content for this report ~ Sand and sustainability: Finding ‘new solutions for environmental governance of global sand resources, held on 11 October 2018, Geneva, Switzetland ~ was co-financed by United Nations Environment Programme/GRID and the University of Geneva (Geneva, Tsinghua Initiative) UNIVERSITE DE GENEVE ‘andar sutanaiy Prng new otton er enuremertl overran of gta ard recurs Expert roundtable contributors (in alphabetical order) ‘Arnaud Vander Velpen, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich) ‘Ashida Makiko, United Nations Environment Programme (Business Resilience Strategist) ‘Aurore Stephant, Researchey, Responsible Mining Foundtion Bart Geenen, Head, Freshwater Programme (Netherlands), World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) CCalie Stinson, Project lead on Global Water Initiative, World Economic Forum (WEF) Dirk Fincke, Secretary General, European Aggregates Assoctation (UEPG) Emily Franklin, Researcher, Economie and Fiseal Policy Unit, United Nations Environment Programme Figo Coppes, Partner, Bureau Brussels Giulia Carbone, Deputy Director, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Hannes MacNulty, Sustainable energy expert, MacNuity Consulting Helen Lee Curtis, University of Geneva «Jan Fordeyn, Project development and Conceptual Design, Jan De Nul Group ‘Kran Pere, Founder and Chief Storyteller at SandStories.o1g Malika Virah Samy, Strategy advisor in sus*Sinable production and consumption, InSpe Strategy and Decision GmbH Martin Weder, Director, Association Suisse de rindustile des Graviers et du Béton (ASGB) Nicholas Bonvoisin, Chief of the Operational Activities & Review Section, Environment Division, United Nations Economic ‘Commission for Europe (UNECE) Pauline Rober, Palioy officer, Federal Office forthe Environment (FOEN) ‘Sumaira Abdulali (by video conference), Awaaz Foundation Vince Beises, Journalist and author of The World ina Grain Expert reviewers and other contributors {in alphabetical order) ‘Geert Cuperus, Fédération Intemationale du Recyclage Jean-Paul Bravard, Université Lumiere Lyon 2 Laura Turley, University of Geneva/International Institute for Sustainable Development Mare Goichot, Lead, Water, WWF Greater Mekong Mark Russel, Mineral Products Association Martine Rohr Brossard, Federal Office for the Environment, Switzerland Michael Hilton, Department of Geography, Univesity of Otago, New Zealand Monique Pool, Green Heritage Fund Suriname Nadine McCormick, Intemational Union for Conservation of Nature (01, Brown, United Nations Environment Programme (Disaster risk reduction) \Vera Van Lancker, Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences ‘Senda setanabtty: rng ne cotton fo eneorrenta ovance oa ead ents First year students of the Geneve-Tinghue Initiative Master in Innovation, Human Development and Sustainability atthe University of Geneva synthesised the roundtable discussions and contributed insights from innovation project work ‘undertaken on the theme of sand and sustainability. Aian Mandela Grunder Afrodti Anastasaki Alessandra Cetin ‘Alexandra Mackey Alice Olga Marine Gulbert Angelica Marie Zundet ‘Anna Cineli Caleb Sequn lean Damla Demirgoz Daniela Chaver Mendoza Davide Fanciul Donata Dettwiler Gerry kie Hanaé Taxis Hussein Khalil Dib Isabelle Anne Verteri Jeonghyun Kim “lana Rademaker ‘Marcelo Gomes Pereira da Siva ‘Maria Oxamitnaia Maria Magdalena Mruk "Natacha Reymond [Nina Beatriz Pompeu Quintas Ravi Ajay Janjwadia Rebeaca Stéphanie Jimenez ‘Salima Bekhouche ‘Stephanie Chuah Shin Ju ‘Stephanie Nicol ‘Ye Seong Shin Project team Pascal Peduza\, Director, United Nations Environment Programme/GRID-Genev: pascal peduzzi@uneparid.ch Zhany! Moldalieva, Coordinator, Extractives Hub, United Nations Environment Programme: ‘zhanyLmoidaieva@un.org LLoulge Gallagher, Coordinator, Coneva-Telnghua Initiative, Unversity of Geneva: louise.gallagher@unige.ch Charlotte Poussin, Assistant, Geneva-Tsinghua Initiative, University of Geneva: charlate.poussin@unige.ch Davide Fornacca, Assistant, Geneva-Tsinghua Initive, University of Geneva: davide fomacea@unige.ch ‘andar sutanaiy Prng new otton er enuremertl overran of gta ard recurs Glossary Definitions for terms as they ‘are used in the following ‘report are based on those available from: McMichael et al. (2003); Cash eta. (2006); International Resource Panel (2011); Lange eta (2073); Bodin (2017; Bara (2018). They are presented in alphabetical order of primary terme defined. Primary aggregates Recycled eggregates Menutactured eggregates Circular Consumption Groen ‘Aceneric term for crushed rock, sand and gravels used in construction materials, water itration. (Crushed rock extracted in hard rock quarries by blasting, ‘rushing; an sand and gravel extracted from pits by ‘excavation and crushing from lakes, rivers and from coastal beaches or dredged from the sea, ‘Aterm for crushed rock, sand and gravel produced by sorting, Crushing and sereening of construction and demolition materials, ‘Aterm for substitutes to crushed rock, sand and gravel that are ‘produced from wastes from other industries. ‘The avoidance of natural sand resources or is substitutes ‘through alternative urban design land use planning, infrastructure and building design, among other approaches. ‘The circular economy ie one in whieh waste materials and products are reused and reoyeled within the production and ‘consumption system. It isthe better use of waste for new materials “The use of products and services for (domestic) final demand, Je for households, government and investments Efficiency ie a broad concept that compares the inputs to a ‘system with te outputs; it escentially means achieving —more with less. Efficiency includes activities to improve productivity (value added / input) and minimize intensity (input / value added) Extractions the removal of primary (virgin, natural) sand {esoutoes from the natural environment (terres riverine, ‘coastal or marine) for extracting valuable minerals, metals, crushed stone, sand and gravel for subsequent proce: “The rate at which and resources are remaved from the natural ‘envionment by volume overtime. “The on going interaction between public and/or private entities ‘with the purpose of realising a collective interest, This process. can vay in its level of institutionalisation, collaboration and ability © adapt to change. The collective interest nthe context ‘ofthis report is sustainability in the sourcing and use of sand ‘and its altematives,so that human wellbeing, environmental ‘quality and economic performance is maintained or enhanced equitably. Green infrastructure isa strategically planned network of ‘natural and semi-natural areas with other environmental features designed and managed to deliver a wide range: ‘of services such as water purification, flood management, ‘eoreation as elther a complement ora substitute to built Infrastructure. “Mineral sands are part of a class of ore deposits that contain ‘heavy minerals such as ilmenite, zircon, leucoxene, and rule, Erosed materiale from hata roek sources like granite ‘or basalt accumulates on beaches within river systems and ‘on coastlines. Itis these beaches from which these valuable Imstetials are extracted for end use in jewelry, as pigments in paints, plasties, paper, foods; n electronics. ‘Aten used in tis report to denote all sands extracted from, ‘natural environments. ‘Aterm used in this report to denote both mineral sands end aggregates. [Also used as: Globe! sand resources] ‘Scale” refers to spatial, temporal, jurisdictional, institutional, ‘management, networks, knowledge scales. “Level” refers to the different units of analysis possible in each of these scales, “The replacement of natural sand resources by other materials including manufactured agaregates. ‘Sustainability means transforming our ways of living to ‘maximise the chances that environmental and social conditions will indefinitely support human secutty, welLbeing ‘and health, ‘Sustainable development refers to development that meets the ‘needs ofthe present without compromising the ability of future {generations to meet thelr own needs. Infrastructure that is tailored to local social, economic and ecological environment and caters the need for infrastructure services in the most effective and efficient way. This requires ‘both assessing and addressing environmental and social risks, ‘assuring financial resources to maintain infrastructure over ite entire lifespan, considering users’ preferences and needs in the design, and understanding the institutional and political ‘dynamics in order to guarantee a long term perspective. ‘Sustainable resource management means both (@) ensuring ‘that consumption does not exceed levels of sustainable ‘supply and (b) ensuring thatthe earth's systems are able 10 perfotm their natural functions (Le. sand and sediment ‘materials flow processes in globally important river basins continue) to ensure the long-term material basis of societies in ‘@ way that resource extraction, use, and waste and emissions ‘management do not surpass key thresholds for long-term environmental sustainability and human wellbeing. ‘Sustainable supply refers to the amount of resources that can be extracted and used for production and consumption ‘before the threshold ofa safe operating space is surpassed. ‘Ata global scale, (sustainable) levels of production equal (Gustainable) levels of consumption. At loca scale, ‘sustainable supply fs aimed at by safe operating practises. Foreword We give such litle thought to sand, save pethaps when we are on the beach or our little ones are playing in sandpit. But sand and gravel build the foundations of aur economies, finding usesin diverse sectors from construction to eleetonics to cosmetics. ‘As this report shows, demand for sand resources is rising. Shifting ‘consumption patterns, growing populations, increasing urbanization {nd infrastructure development have increased demand three-fold Cover the last two decades, We now need 50 bilon tonnes per year, an average of 18 kg per person per day. ‘The problem is that we have been exceeding easily avaiable sand resources at growing rate for decades. We ate spending our sand ‘budget’ faster than we can produce it responsibly. We now find ‘ourselves in the position where the needs and expectations of our societies cannot be met without improved governance of global sand Even though these materials are the second largest resources: fextiaeted and traded by volume after water, they are one of the least regulated in many regions. Increasingly, sand is being produced through environmentally damaging extractive practices in sensitive terrestrial riverine and ocean ecosystems. Complex questions on how to deliver on ecosystem and biodiversity conservation goals alongside necessary improvernents in transport infrastructure, housing and living standards are looming, We need to reconcile relevant global polices and standards with local sand availabilty, development imperatives and standards and enforcement realities. We need to recognize the interdependence between counties and sectors and learn lessons on how to manage ‘his critical resource sustainably. We need to rethink the relationship between infrastructure and the social and environmental outcomes for which we are stiving. This timely report looks at how we can cut consumation of sand and ‘gravel and deliver this new realty by, for example, reducing over building and over-design and using recycled and alternative materials, Italso looks at how to reduce impacts on ecosystems through Implementing existing standards and best practices. Fundamentally, improving governance of global cand resources meane increasing the wil 10 ac, at al levels of government and industiy. | encourage everyoody involved in the sector to read this report and seriously consider its recommendations so we can ereate institutions that eustainably and equitably manage extraction and use of this vital resource Joyce Meuya ‘Acting Executive Director United Nations Environment Programme ai Sand ad stars Fie nw solaions fennel gournanoe of bl cand soins Executive summary ‘Sand and gravels are the unrecognised foundational material of our economies. They are mined the werld over, with ‘aggregates accounting for the largest volume of solid material extracted globally (Peduzzi, 2014; Beises, 2018). At the ‘same time, these materials cannot be produced from our terrestrial riverine and marine environments in quantities needed to meet demand from a world of 10 billion people without effective policy planning, regulation and management. ‘Such actions remain largely unaddressed by decision makers in public or private sectors, Iti time to challenge the paradigm of infinite sand resources through constructive dialogue and solution finding, This report aims to be the ‘starting point from which a productive global conversation on sand extraction can begin. ‘This synthesis was produced following a United Nations Environment Programme expert roundtable event held on 11 ‘October 2018 in Geneva, Switzerland. The discussions emphasised potential solutions for mitigating mineral sands anc aggregates extraction impacts and generating adequate support for responsiole consumption pathways. Expert views ‘were collated and complemented with additional research and consultation ta distil key messages on an agenda for ‘aekling this iseue in 2019 and beyond. ‘andar sutanaiy Prng new otton er enuremertl overran of gta ard recurs Key messages ‘The needs and expectations of our societies are driving the demand for sand resources but a continued responsible ‘supply cannot be assumed without improved governance of global sand resources. “The scale ofthe challenge inherent in san and gravel extraction makes it one ofthe major sustainability challenges of the 21st century. These materials are one ofthe largest resources extracted and traded by volume, yeti is one of the least regulated activities in many regions. For one ofthe most traded commodities on the planet, there Is very low ‘general awareness about widespread extraction impacts. Local and international journalists are currently leading In ‘uncovering the scale ofthe impacts while science and polices to support responsible consumption and extraction ‘are lagging behind. Meanwhile, vers, river deltas and coastines are eroding, “sand mafias" are thriving and demand continues to grow. Preventing or reducing damage to river, beach and marine ecosystems and social risks to workers and communities Jn sand extraction sites can be achieved through some already existing solutions: ‘Avoiding concumption through reducing over-bullding and over-design Society can make more efficient use of sourced aggregates through alterations to infrastructure and building

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