Masdar City sounds like a utopia. Located in the deserts outside Abu Dhabi, the capital of the U.A.E., it was envisioned as the world’s first carbon-neutral city. With cooling towers and underground pods, it feels like the cutting edge. There’s only one thing: It’s not finished. And it may never live up to its original plans.

Hear David Brancaccio seek out this oasis of sustainability on Marketplace Morning Report.