Slow start on World Bank reform angers climate-hit countries

By ELLEN KNICKMEYER
Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — World Bank meetings in Washington were supposed to be a first step in a new era of affordable loans for developing nations hard hit by climate change. But if this is a new era, the World Bank meetings that closed Sunday have left Barbados’ Prime Minister Mia Mottley feeling much like she did in the old one — angry at wealthy nations’ slow pace of change. U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and others have been pledging a World Bank climate overhaul. So far, though, wealthy nations have balked at either providing more money themselves or significantly changing the lending rules for existing funds.