That has made it much harder for wealthy nations – whose emissions have driven the crisis – to ignore the need for more financial help for those suffering the most in a warming world.

Last month, at the COP27 summit in Egypt, they agreed to create a fund to help communities on the frontline deal with growing "loss and damage" from climate change impacts.

...Mohamed Adow, Power Shift Africa's Director, said: "COP28 is already being talked down by some climate campaigners, writing it off due to the host nation being the United Arab Emirates. However, that actually offers a big opportunity. Normally disruptive members of OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries), like Saudi Arabia, are less likely to derail their neighbour's big moment in the global spotlight."