FT Rethink

Curbing the great sand grab

Up to 50 billion tonnes of sand a year is being mined, dredged and even stolen to satisfy the global appetite for infrastructure, according to the UN, and it’s disappearing faster than it can be replenished. The plunder cuts biodiversity, destroys fishing communities, and increases the risk of flooding. Curbing the problem could include improved governance or finding alternative materials, but there are no simple answers.

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FT Rethink

FT Channels, a partnership destination that combines impactful and enriching multimedia content to spark curiosity and encourage discovery. Each vertical brings expert insights from the Financial Times and our Partners into the most pressing issues of our time.


FT Rethink series focuses on the people, technology, strategies and systems moving us from an economy that is wasteful, idle, lopsided and dirty towards one that is circular, lean, inclusive and clean. The channel alternates between independent reporting from FT journalists and business perspectives from Lombard Odier