Earlier this week, Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley closed her speech at the annual climate summit COP26—the 26th “conference of the parties” to the U.N.'s climate body—with some harsh words for the world leaders in attendance: “Try harder.” Mottley called out the pipe-dream promises of countries investing in technology that has yet to be developed and got to the heart of the issue for countries like Barbados and many smaller nations on the front lines of the climate crisis. “On adaptation, adaptation finance remains only at 25%; not the 50-50 split that was promised, nor needed, given the warming that is already taking place on this Earth. Climate finance to frontline small island developing states declined by 25% in 2019,” Mottley said. “Failure to provide the critical finance and that of loss and damage is measured in my friends, in lives and livelihoods in our communities. This is immoral and it is unjust.” Meaningfully fighting climate change means investing significantly in ways to slow the overall warming of the planet. It’s something known the world over. And people are frankly tired of seeing those in power do everything but make the necessary investment for our future. It’s what prompted activists with the Sunrise Movement to hound Senator Joe Manchin early Thursday morning as he made his way from his houseboat to his Maserati. Read more