I covered the climate crisis and COP28 from an oil-rich nation — here's what I learned and why I'm hopeful for the future

• At COP28, the UAE set out to tackle the climate crisis' root cause: fossil fuels.
• During the summit, the UAE pledged to contribute $30 billion to a climate investment fund.
• Advocates didn't get everything they wanted, but it was a realistic end given the geopolitics.
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Dubai was a surreal location for the most important climate event of the year.