GENEVA (Reuters) - Around 6 billion tons of marine sand is being dug up each year in a growing practice that a U.N. agency said is unsustainable and ...
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THESE SALTWIRE VIDEOSGENEVA - Around 6 billion tons of marine sand is being dug up each year in a growing practice that a U.N. agency said is unsustainable and can wipe out local marine life irreversibly.
The findings from the United Nations Environment Programme coincide with the launch of a new platform 'Marine Sand Watch' backed by funding from the Swiss government that monitors dredging activities using marine tracking and artificial intelligence. Pointing to an image of a ship he described as a"giant vacuum cleaner" he said such vessels were"basically sterilising the bottom of the sea by extracting sand and crunching all the microorganisms that are feeding fish".
While globally the 6 billion being extracted is less than the sand deposited annually by the world's rivers, in some areas the removal is surpassing replenishment rates, UNEP said.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Meet the man showcasing sand sculptures in his front yardAfter losing his factory job, James W. Cook discovered his passion for art didn’t have to be limited to paints and pencils — he could use Mother Nature.
Read more »
Meet the man showcasing sand sculptures in his front yardAfter losing his factory job, James W. Cook discovered his passion for art didn’t have to be limited to paints and pencils — he could use Mother Nature.
Read more »
Malaysia central bank to hold rates at 3.0% through end-2024: Reuters pollBy Anant Chandak BENGALURU (Reuters) - Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) will hold its key policy rate at 3.00% on Thursday, adopting the same no-change ...
Read more »
China Seeks $40 Billion Fund to Drive Chipmaking, Reuters SaysChina is seeking to raise a $40 billion fund to bankroll investments in domestic chipmaking and research, Reuters reported, citing unidentified people familiar with the matter.
Read more »
China's exports, imports likely contracted more slowly in August: Reuters pollBEIJING (Reuters) - China's exports likely contracted at a slower pace in August, a Reuters poll showed on Tuesday, highlighting that manufacturers ...
Read more »
UN expects 1.8 million people to flee Sudan by year-endGENEVA (Reuters) - The U.N. refugee agency on Monday appealed for $1 billion to help provide aid to those fleeing violence in Sudan, saying it expected ...
Read more »