Mia Mottley wants to break what she considers to be a stalemate around the growing need for climate finance.
On her initiative, several countries have joined the so-called Bridgetown group with a huge list of demands directed at the rich world. This involves, among other things, changing the World Bank’s and IMF’s principles for lending.
For example, she wants to introduce global taxes on fossil fuel companies that will go to a new fund.
– We have spent the time since we became independent trying to give our population what the global north has taken for granted. Which they supported by exploiting assets they gave their people with the help of our blood, sweat and tears, she says.
Five thousand billion
Mia Mottley demands that five thousand billion dollars be released from the private financial systems as compensation for climate damage in poor countries.
Her group also proposes that the energy companies should pay a climate damage tax and that installments on government debts should be able to be paused when poor countries are hit by extreme weather. Both the UK and France have expressed their support for the idea.
Watch the exclusive interview with the Prime Minister of Barbados in the player above.