Application for inclusion of sand mining in the Agenda of the Convention of Biodiversity, a new and emerging issue relating to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity Awaaz Foundation and Bombay Natural History Society. Information that, where possible, should accompany proposals for new and emerging issues (Decision IX/29, paragraph 11): Why the issue needs urgent attention by the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (including how it impacts biodiversity); The issue needs urgent attention by the Subsidiary Body because sand mining is a largely unacknowledged but major threat to biodiversity in many parts of the world. While numerous scientific studies have been conducted of adverse effects to flora fauna and ecosystems through other types of human intervention such as building, pollution etc, there is, apparently, not a single scientific document on the effects of sand mining on biodiversity conducted by the UN or by the Governments of most countries or even by independent scientific researchers. When sand, the medium in which coastal fauna and flora thrive and the most common interface between terrestrial and marine biodiversity, is removed, the entire ecosystem is inevitably and irreversibly destroyed. This would have an effect on every type of flora or fauna which survives in the costal zone including wetlands, sand dunes and beaches and would affect all coastal marine and terrestrial life including migratory birds, turtles and almost every species which make up coastal biodiversity. Sand mining would also accelerate erosion and affect water security of adjoining lands through ingress of saline water. Sand is a necessary component to fuel the construction boom driving the
Application for inclusion of sand mining in the Agenda of the Convention of Biodiversity, a new and emerging issue relating to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity Awaaz Foundation and Bombay Natural History Society. Information that, where possible, should accompany proposals for new and emerging issues (Decision IX/29, paragraph 11): Why the issue needs urgent attention by the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (including how it impacts biodiversity); The issue needs urgent attention by the Subsidiary Body because sand mining is a largely unacknowledged but major threat to biodiversity in many parts of the world. While numerous scientific studies have been conducted of adverse effects to flora fauna and ecosystems through other types of human intervention such as building, pollution etc, there is, apparently, not a single scientific document on the effects of sand mining on biodiversity conducted by the UN or by the Governments of most countries or even by independent scientific researchers. When sand, the medium in which coastal fauna and flora thrive and the most common interface between terrestrial and marine biodiversity, is removed, the entire ecosystem is inevitably and irreversibly destroyed. This would have an effect on every type of flora or fauna which survives in the costal zone including wetlands, sand dunes and beaches and would affect all coastal marine and terrestrial life including migratory birds, turtles and almost every species which make up coastal biodiversity. Sand mining would also accelerate erosion and affect water security of adjoining lands through ingress of saline water. Sand is a necessary component to fuel the construction boom driving the
emergingissue-2013-10-Awaaz-Foundation-Bombay-NHS-en.docx