Mapping sand flows and stocks

One Earth, vol. 8, pp. 101197

Abstract

Sand is increasingly recognized as the physical foundation of our modern world. With a growing population and rapid urbanization, global demand for sand has surged. However, our understanding of how much sand we use, the applications it serves, where it originates, and how much is recovered at the end of its life cycle remains surprisingly limited. In this primer, we outline how sand flows and stocks can be systematically tracked throughout the economy using material flow analysis (MFA). By explaining the concepts and mechanisms of a system definition, we illustrate how flow-driven and stock-driven MFA approaches can track sand dynamics in the economy. We further provide a working example to demonstrate the estimation of sand flows and stocks through global construction aggregates. More transparent and robust monitoring systems are needed to sustainably manage this vital yet often overlooked resource.

Authors 5

1. Takuma Watari corresponding Aachen Institute of Environmental Sciences (CML)

   Leiden University · National Institute for Environmental Studies

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Environmental Sciences, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands

   Material Cycles Division, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, Japan

2. Catrin Böcher Aachen Institute of Environmental Sciences (CML)

   Leiden University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Environmental Sciences, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands

3. André Baumgart

   BOKU University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Social Ecology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria

4. Jonna Ljunge

   Norwegian University of Science and Technology

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Energy and Process Engineering, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway

5. Dominik Wiedenhofer corresponding

   BOKU University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Social Ecology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria