A.E.C. Duker , T.G. Embaye , E.Y. Hagos , M. Smigaj , D.W. Walker , H. Yusuf
{"title":"平衡水和沙的需求:支持撒哈拉以南非洲更可持续的沙河采砂的研究议程","authors":"A.E.C. Duker , T.G. Embaye , E.Y. Hagos , M. Smigaj , D.W. Walker , H. Yusuf","doi":"10.1016/j.envsci.2025.104162","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Sand river systems, a type of ephemeral river with shallow groundwater stored in its sandy riverbed, are increasingly gaining recognition for being nature-based water storage systems that play a pivotal role for ecosystems and rural livelihoods. However, these unique water systems are not only appreciated for their water storage and transmission; the sand is also extracted to serve the growing urban construction demands. As a result, there is increasing competition, tension and conflict about the different, often mutually-exclusive, uses of these rivers. In this paper, we call for research action as we see an urgent need to recognise the challenges and conflicts that occur and have a detrimental impact on the ecosystems and people depending on these rivers. We identify challenges and knowledge gaps, based on three case studies from sub-Saharan Africa, each with different sand harvesting histories and approaches to address these challenges. We conclude that current knowledge about the scope, intensity and impacts of sand harvesting from these shallow aquifers is minimal. Despite the regulation attempts in a few countries, monitoring and governance to establish sustainable sand harvesting and sand river conservation remain below par in all countries studied. Therefore, we call for conjunctive action to address the identified research needs, based on different actors from riparian communities, governments, academia, NGOs and the private sector. We conclude that addressing these needs is pivotal in coping with current and future challenges in different contexts to protect and benefit from these valuable river systems in the semi-arid and arid lands of sub-Saharan Africa.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":313,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science & Policy","volume":"171 ","pages":"Article 104162"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2000,"publicationDate":"2025-07-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":"{\"title\":\"Balancing water and sand demands: a research agenda to support more sustainable sand harvesting from sand rivers in sub-Saharan Africa\",\"authors\":\"A.E.C. Duker , T.G. Embaye , E.Y. Hagos , M. Smigaj , D.W. Walker , H. Yusuf\",\"doi\":\"10.1016/j.envsci.2025.104162\",\"DOIUrl\":null,\"url\":null,\"abstract\":\"<div><div>Sand river systems, a type of ephemeral river with shallow groundwater stored in its sandy riverbed, are increasingly gaining recognition for being nature-based water storage systems that play a pivotal role for ecosystems and rural livelihoods. However, these unique water systems are not only appreciated for their water storage and transmission; the sand is also extracted to serve the growing urban construction demands. As a result, there is increasing competition, tension and conflict about the different, often mutually-exclusive, uses of these rivers. In this paper, we call for research action as we see an urgent need to recognise the challenges and conflicts that occur and have a detrimental impact on the ecosystems and people depending on these rivers. We identify challenges and knowledge gaps, based on three case studies from sub-Saharan Africa, each with different sand harvesting histories and approaches to address these challenges. We conclude that current knowledge about the scope, intensity and impacts of sand harvesting from these shallow aquifers is minimal. Despite the regulation attempts in a few countries, monitoring and governance to establish sustainable sand harvesting and sand river conservation remain below par in all countries studied. Therefore, we call for conjunctive action to address the identified research needs, based on different actors from riparian communities, governments, academia, NGOs and the private sector. We conclude that addressing these needs is pivotal in coping with current and future challenges in different contexts to protect and benefit from these valuable river systems in the semi-arid and arid lands of sub-Saharan Africa.</div></div>\",\"PeriodicalId\":313,\"journal\":{\"name\":\"Environmental Science & Policy\",\"volume\":\"171 \",\"pages\":\"Article 104162\"},\"PeriodicalIF\":5.2000,\"publicationDate\":\"2025-07-21\",\"publicationTypes\":\"Journal Article\",\"fieldsOfStudy\":null,\"isOpenAccess\":false,\"openAccessPdf\":\"\",\"citationCount\":\"0\",\"resultStr\":null,\"platform\":\"Semanticscholar\",\"paperid\":null,\"PeriodicalName\":\"Environmental Science & Policy\",\"FirstCategoryId\":\"93\",\"ListUrlMain\":\"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1462901125001789\",\"RegionNum\":2,\"RegionCategory\":\"环境科学与生态学\",\"ArticlePicture\":[],\"TitleCN\":null,\"AbstractTextCN\":null,\"PMCID\":null,\"EPubDate\":\"\",\"PubModel\":\"\",\"JCR\":\"Q1\",\"JCRName\":\"ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES\",\"Score\":null,\"Total\":0}","platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Environmental Science & Policy","FirstCategoryId":"93","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1462901125001789","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES","Score":null,"Total":0}
Balancing water and sand demands: a research agenda to support more sustainable sand harvesting from sand rivers in sub-Saharan Africa
Sand river systems, a type of ephemeral river with shallow groundwater stored in its sandy riverbed, are increasingly gaining recognition for being nature-based water storage systems that play a pivotal role for ecosystems and rural livelihoods. However, these unique water systems are not only appreciated for their water storage and transmission; the sand is also extracted to serve the growing urban construction demands. As a result, there is increasing competition, tension and conflict about the different, often mutually-exclusive, uses of these rivers. In this paper, we call for research action as we see an urgent need to recognise the challenges and conflicts that occur and have a detrimental impact on the ecosystems and people depending on these rivers. We identify challenges and knowledge gaps, based on three case studies from sub-Saharan Africa, each with different sand harvesting histories and approaches to address these challenges. We conclude that current knowledge about the scope, intensity and impacts of sand harvesting from these shallow aquifers is minimal. Despite the regulation attempts in a few countries, monitoring and governance to establish sustainable sand harvesting and sand river conservation remain below par in all countries studied. Therefore, we call for conjunctive action to address the identified research needs, based on different actors from riparian communities, governments, academia, NGOs and the private sector. We conclude that addressing these needs is pivotal in coping with current and future challenges in different contexts to protect and benefit from these valuable river systems in the semi-arid and arid lands of sub-Saharan Africa.
期刊介绍:
Environmental Science & Policy promotes communication among government, business and industry, academia, and non-governmental organisations who are instrumental in the solution of environmental problems. It also seeks to advance interdisciplinary research of policy relevance on environmental issues such as climate change, biodiversity, environmental pollution and wastes, renewable and non-renewable natural resources, sustainability, and the interactions among these issues. The journal emphasises the linkages between these environmental issues and social and economic issues such as production, transport, consumption, growth, demographic changes, well-being, and health. However, the subject coverage will not be restricted to these issues and the introduction of new dimensions will be encouraged.