The article presents a comprehensive global assessment of sandy beaches and their shoreline change rates using satellite imagery from 1984 to 2016. The study found that 31% of the world's ice-free shoreline is sandy, with Africa having the highest percentage (66%) and Europe the lowest (22%). The analysis revealed that 24% of the world's sandy beaches are eroding at rates exceeding 0.5 m/year, while 28% are accreting and 48% are stable. The majority of sandy shorelines in marine protected areas are eroding, raising concerns about the sustainability of these areas. The study also highlights the impact of human activities, such as sand mining and coastal engineering, on shoreline dynamics. The authors emphasize the importance of reliable assessments for effective spatial planning, sustainable coastal development, and mitigation of climate change impacts. The methods used, including pixel-based supervised classification and automated shoreline detection, are detailed, and the results are validated through long-term in-situ shoreline changes at four selected locations. The study concludes by identifying global hotspots of beach erosion and accretion, with the largest erosive hotspot located in Texas and the largest accretive hotspot in Namibia.The article presents a comprehensive global assessment of sandy beaches and their shoreline change rates using satellite imagery from 1984 to 2016. The study found that 31% of the world's ice-free shoreline is sandy, with Africa having the highest percentage (66%) and Europe the lowest (22%). The analysis revealed that 24% of the world's sandy beaches are eroding at rates exceeding 0.5 m/year, while 28% are accreting and 48% are stable. The majority of sandy shorelines in marine protected areas are eroding, raising concerns about the sustainability of these areas. The study also highlights the impact of human activities, such as sand mining and coastal engineering, on shoreline dynamics. The authors emphasize the importance of reliable assessments for effective spatial planning, sustainable coastal development, and mitigation of climate change impacts. The methods used, including pixel-based supervised classification and automated shoreline detection, are detailed, and the results are validated through long-term in-situ shoreline changes at four selected locations. The study concludes by identifying global hotspots of beach erosion and accretion, with the largest erosive hotspot located in Texas and the largest accretive hotspot in Namibia.