Climate Change: Can World Beaches Survive Without Sand?

Climate change threatens beaches worldwide, from Miami to Barcelona and Australia's Gold Coast. The lack of sand, exacerbated by increasing demand and rising sea levels, endangers coastal communities.

"Beach nourishment," a method of replenishing sand, is widely used but is temporary and costly. Building on the coasts hinders natural sand flows, worsening the problem. Scientists suggest retreating inland as a more sustainable solution, but this is difficult due to homeowner resistance.

The Netherlands, with extensive sand reserves, invests heavily in flood risk management, while other regions face difficult decisions about the future of their coasts. By 2050, over 1 billion people could live in low-lying coastal zones, making the need for sustainable solutions more urgent.