Extreme weather is worsening child marriages in Pakistan

Child marriages in Pakistan are on the rise as extreme weather events like floods force impoverished families to marry off young daughters for financial survival.

Haroon Janjua reports for Deutsche Welle.

In short:

Families displaced by floods in Pakistan are increasingly marrying off young girls to cope with economic hardships.
Child marriages are often seen as a means of survival, with parents trading daughters for money to reduce household burdens.
Rights groups urge stronger laws and education to combat the rise in child marriages driven by climate crises.

Key quote:

“These are marriages of survival prompted by the monsoon season and the reason behind marrying off a girl is to reduce the feeding costs at home during the climate calamity.”

— Mashooque Birhmani, founder of NGO Sujag Sansar

Why this matters:

As climate change intensifies, vulnerable populations, especially young girls, face growing risks of exploitation. Addressing child marriage requires urgent action to protect the rights and futures of these children.

www.dw.com

Senator Whitehouse puts climate change on budget committee’s agenda

For more than a decade, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse gave daily warnings about the mounting threat of climate change. Now he has a powerful new perch.

Extreme weather is worsening child marriages in Pakistan

North Carolina prisoners endured nearly a week of flooding, filth and neglect after Hurricane Helene

FEMA pushes back on false claims about funding for hurricane relief

The Supreme Court allows new EPA regulations on mercury and methane emissions to proceed

The Supreme Court takes aim at environmental regulations this term

The petrochemical sector faces a prolonged downturn and a shift toward sustainability

Hurricane Helene’s flooding raises concerns over private well water safety

The Pennsylvania Senate debate spotlights fracking, clean energy and steel industry issues

LISTEN: Mokshda Kaul on making the clean energy transition work for all

“Coalitions become this interesting way to create buy-in.”

Op-ed: Is plastic the biggest climate threat?

A plastics treaty for the climate and health must address overproduction of plastics and head off the petrochemical and plastic industry’s planned expansion.

Residents say Pennsylvania has failed communities after state studies linked fracking to child cancer

Last year Pennsylvania Department of Health studies showed increased risk of childhood cancer, asthma and low birth weights for people living near fracking. Advocates say not enough has been done since.

The fossil fuel industry is disproportionately harming low-income and minority women: Report

“Women, in all of their diversity, must be at the center of climate and energy decision-making.”

Op-ed: People need shelter from climate change — their health hangs in the balance

The discourse on climate resilience must include affordable housing policy solutions.

As Biden prepares to block the sale of U.S. Steel to Nippon Steel, pollution concerns persist in Pennsylvania

“Pennsylvania steel communities have lived with dangerous air quality for generations. That needs to end.”