The Stream, October 26: Floods, Storms In Bangladesh Raise Worry Of Early Marriages

The Global Rundown

More young girls in Bangladesh could face early marriages as climate change intensifies floods and other natural disasters. Rapidly retreating ice shelves in Antarctica continue to raise alarm over future sea level rise. The world added more renewable electricity generation capacity than fossil fuel capacity last year. Australia’s Labor party signaled it would not support the prime minister’s efforts to limit environmental lawsuits. Peru’s new president has said he will make water a priority, expanding access to all citizens by 2021.

“We have a president who is focused on the issue of water and I have a lot of faith in what he can achieve in the future.” –Fernando Momiy, president of Peru’s national water regulator, on President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski. Kuczynski, who took office in July, has pledged to extend water and sewage access to all Peruvians by the end of his term in 2021. (Guardian)

By The Numbers

18 percent Proportion of girls in Bangladesh who are married by the time they are 15 years old. Some researchers worry that early marriage will become more common as floods and other natural disasters push rural families into cities. Reuters

153 gigawatts Net renewable energy capacity added globally last year, more than half of the new electricity capacity added overall. Wind and solar power grew the most, but hydropower still makes up the largest share of renewable electricity generation. Guardian

Science, Studies, And Reports

Ice shelves flowing into Antarctica’s Amundsen Sea lost hundreds of meters of ice between 2002 and 2009, according to a study published in the journal Nature Communications. Warm ocean waters are eating away at the bottom of the ice shelves, raising significant concerns about future sea level rise. Climate Central

On The Radar

Australia’s prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, has again called for the overhaul of a key environmental law in order to limit the lawsuits environmental groups can bring against development projects. This week, the Australian Labor Party said it will not support any changes to that effect. Guardian